Westmont College vs. UC Merced

Should I go to Westmont College or University of California Merced? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Westmont College or UC Merced is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Westmont College vs. University of California Merced comparison
Westmont College University of California Merced College 3 College 4
University of California Merced
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Overview

Westmont College UC Merced
Location Santa Barbara, CA Merced, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,284 9,103
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #146 #605
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website westmont.edu ucmerced.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Westmont College UC Merced
Tuition (In State) $48,840 $11,564
Tuition (Out of State) $48,840 $41,636
Room & Board $15,760 $19,340
Avg Net Price $33,112 $13,549
Avg Grant Aid $33,900 $25,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 83%

Admission

Westmont College UC Merced
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,326 29,920
Admitted 1,907 26,766
Acceptance Rate 82% 89.5%
Enrolled % 16.5% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.55
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 30/33 19/24
SAT Range 1280/1458 960/1140
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Westmont College UC Merced
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (22%)
  • Biology (21%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Business (12%)

Outcomes

Westmont College UC Merced
Graduation Rate 77% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,600 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,123 $19,899
Median Loan Payment $259 $205

Diversity

Westmont College UC Merced
% Men 39% 51%
% Women 61% 49%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 64% 13%
% Black 1% 5%
% Hispanic 15% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Westmont College UC Merced
% In-State 65% 99%
% Out-of-State 33% 0%

Campus

Westmont College UC Merced
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Merced is larger than than Westmont College based on total student enrollment (9,103 students vs. 1,284 students)

Westmont College vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Westmont College or UC Merced?

  • Westmont College is 322.3% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($48,840.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.3% higher at Westmont College than University of California Merced ($48,840.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Westmont College ($13,549 vs. $33,112)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Westmont College are 22.7% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($15,760 vs. $19,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Westmont College than University of California Merced (97% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Westmont College students is 31% larger than aid received University of California Merced ($33,900 vs. $25,868)

Westmont College vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Westmont College or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or Westmont College .

  • The average SAT score at Westmont College (1179) is 154 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
  • Incoming Westmont College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UC Merced (23)
  • Accepted freshman Westmont College students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at UC Merced (3.55)
  • UC Merced has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Westmont College (82%)

Westmont College vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Westmont College or UC Merced? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UC Merced and Westmont College.

  • The graduation rate at Westmont College is higher than University of California Merced (77% vs. 58%)
  • University of California Merced students graduate with a $5,224 lower median federal student loan debt than Westmont College graduates. ($19,899 vs. $25,123)
  • UC Merced graduates are paying $54 less per month on federal student loans than Westmont College graduates. ($205 vs. $259)
  • More Westmont College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 64%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/