B+
Very Good
Score: 72/100
Overall (traditional)
B
Outcome Rating
67/100 · earnings-weighted

University of California-Merced

4-Year Public
📍 Merced, California 95343
🌐 ucmerced.edu/
University of California-Merced — acceptance rate 39%, tuition $11,834 in-state, $42,611 out-of-state
University of California-Merced — acceptance rate 39%, tuition $11,834 in-state, $42,611 out-of-state
University of California-Merced campus, Merced, CA
University of California-Merced campus, Merced, CA. Photo: Original University of California seal: probably Tiffany & Co,; This SVG file: User:Casecrer, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Outcomes
B+
79/100
Affordability
B
68/100
Resources
C+
60/100
Experience
A+
95/100
Prestige
B
63/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

9,147
Total Enrollment
69%
Graduation Rate
83%
Retention Rate
21.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
39%
Acceptance Rate
$13,232
Avg Net Price
🏠 Housing Market Near University of California-Merced ▼

9% of first-year students live off campus and not with family (U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS). Upper-year students at most universities move off campus at much higher rates, so near-campus rental demand is typically larger than this figure suggests.

The campus ZIP (95343) has no residential market, so these figures average 1 nearby ZIP codes within 3 miles of campus (95340).

Avg Home Value
$406,091
Avg Monthly Rent
$1,795
1-Year Change
+0.5%

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at University of California-Merced, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$64,368
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$48,475
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$16,144
Median debt at graduation
68.7%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
58.9%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 25% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 62nd percentile among bachelor’s-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (CA wage index 1.21). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

Earnings by Major at University of California-Merced

Median pay of bachelor's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.

Major1 yr after4 yrs aftervs. nationalRank (pay)Rank (wage-adj.)Median debt
Computer Engineering$58,835$102,575-6%#110 of 189#153$19,003
Mechanical Engineering$67,096$95,040+3%#89 of 318#244$18,498
Biomedical/Medical Engineering$57,223$88,795-5%#82 of 118#106$20,816
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering$47,028$83,007+2%#19 of 46#33$20,619
Applied Mathematics$39,138$82,156-10%#29 of 45#33$15,500
Business Administration, Management and Operations$46,378$68,277+0%#424 of 1176#749$16,000
Economics$51,212$67,692-18%#297 of 368#328$19,303
Political Science and Government$29,153$62,815-1%#265 of 565#383$17,132
Biology$36,140$59,249+4%#362 of 841#579$18,000
English Language and Literature$29,152$58,623+21%#73 of 576#125$24,000
Chemistry$50,944$56,888-13%#180 of 209#200$14,500
Public Health$36,555$56,393-4%#115 of 215#159$15,250
Psychology$28,669$53,143+5%#346 of 1027#650$16,500
Cognitive Science$32,419$51,147-37%#19 of 19#19$20,105
Sociology$37,092$50,468-4%#278 of 462#385$17,500
History$26,103$44,144-13%#390 of 459#444$15,455

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.

🏆 Where University of California-Merced Ranks

Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.

#16
Research and Experimental Psychology, Other
of 88 schools
#16
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
of 36 schools
#18
Applied Mathematics, General
of 33 schools
#19
Cognitive Science, General
of 24 schools
#26
Computer Engineering, General
of 100 schools
#29
Public Health, General
of 100 schools
#30
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other
of 100 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $11,834 $42,611
Total Cost (On-Campus) $40,685 $71,462

Financial Aid

85%
Receive Any Aid
55%
Receive Pell Grants
31%
Take Out Loans
$13,232
Avg Net Price

Net Price by Family Income

Family Income Average Net Price
$0 - $30,000$8,572
$30,001 - $48,000$9,581
$48,001 - $75,000$11,594
$75,001 - $110,000$17,323
$110,001+$30,561

Student Demographics

9,147
Total Students
47%
Women
93%
Traditional Age (18-24)
9%
Off-Campus Renters

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 10%
Hispanic 55%
Black 5%
Asian 22%
Two or More 4%
Non-Resident 4%

🏠 Living Arrangements

On Campus 81%
Off-Campus (Renters) 9%
With Family 11%
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~777 students need off-campus housing

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 90%
Hybrid (Some Online) 10%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 93%
25-64 (Adult) 2%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Merced?
University of California-Merced has an acceptance rate of 39%. This makes it a moderately selective institution with competitive admission standards.
How much does it cost to attend University of California-Merced?
Tuition at University of California-Merced is $11,834 for in-state students and $42,611 for out-of-state students . However, the average net price after financial aid is $13,232.
What is the graduation rate at University of California-Merced?
The graduation rate at University of California-Merced is 69%. This is a solid graduation rate, showing that most students who enroll successfully complete their degrees.
Is University of California-Merced a good school?
University of California-Merced has a Repit College Score of 72/100 (Grade: B+). Our rating evaluates five key factors:
  • Outcomes (B+): Graduation and retention rates
  • Affordability (B): Net cost and financial aid access
  • Resources (C+): Class sizes and selectivity
  • Experience (A+): Campus life and learning format
  • Prestige (B): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend University of California-Merced?
University of California-Merced has a total enrollment of 9,147 students. Most students (93%) are traditional college-age (18-24).
Is there rental demand near University of California-Merced?
Yes! Approximately 9% of students at University of California-Merced live off-campus (not with family). That's roughly 777 students who need rental housing near campus.

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for University of California-Merced — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →

🎓 Similar Colleges to University of California-Merced

Compare with other 4-Year public institutions of similar size.

B
University of California-Riverside
Riverside, CA · 26,426 students
B
University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA · 19,764 students
B+
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · 22,485 students
B
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona, CA · 26,848 students
A
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA · 26,068 students
B
California State University-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · 25,080 students

Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology