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Overview |
Whittier College | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Whittier, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 859 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #542 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | whittier.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Whittier College | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $48,924 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $48,924 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,623 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $32,436 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $32,008 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 81% |
Admission |
Whittier College | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,797 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 2,388 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 85.4% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 6.1% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.61 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 24/30 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1140/1340 | 960/1140 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Whittier College | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Whittier College | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 55% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,400 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,500 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $263 | $205 |
Diversity |
Whittier College | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 3% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 31% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 44% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Whittier College | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 61% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 12% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Whittier 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 Whittier College based on total student enrollment (9,147 students vs. 859 students)
Whittier College vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Whittier College or UC Merced?
- Whittier College is 313.4% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($48,924.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 14.8% higher at Whittier College than University of California Merced ($48,924.00 vs. $42,611.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Whittier College ($13,232 vs. $32,436)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Whittier College are 29.9% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($15,623 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Whittier College than University of California Merced (99% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Whittier College students is 28.7% larger than aid received University of California Merced ($32,008 vs. $24,868)
Whittier College vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Whittier College or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or Whittier College .
- The average SAT score at Whittier College (1057) is 32 points higher than at UC Merced (1025)
- Incoming Whittier College students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at UC Merced (23)
- Accepted freshman Whittier College students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at UC Merced (3.55)
- Whittier College has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
Whittier College vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Whittier 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 Whittier College.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than Whittier College (58% vs. 55%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $5,601 lower median federal student loan debt than Whittier College graduates. ($19,899 vs. $25,500)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than Whittier College graduates. ($205 vs. $263)
- More Whittier College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/