More selective than 26% of California colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $39,665. College Scorecard.
Higher than 61% of California colleges we cover and 77% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 51% of California colleges we cover and 79% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of California-Merced acceptance rate & admissions
Of 67,891 applicants, University of California-Merced admitted 26,598 and 2,416 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of California-Merced tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for California residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: California residents who meet income, asset and GPA standards may receive a Cal Grant (California Student Aid Commission); apply with the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application. At University of California and California State University campuses, the Middle Class Scholarship can also help families with income and assets up to $250,000 (2026-27, dependent students). Not included in the prices above. California Student Aid Commission
University of California-Merced majors, earnings & careers
University of California-Merced offers 28 bachelor's majors across 7 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 6
- Science & Math · 6
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 6
- Engineering · 5
- Business & Finance · 3
- Arts & Design · 1
- Health & Medicine · 1
Highest-earning majors at University of California-Merced
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $102,575 | $19,086 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $95,040 | $18,500 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $88,795 | $21,234 |
| Environmental Engineering | $83,007 | $21,665 |
| Applied Mathematics | $82,156 | $16,497 |
| Business Administration | $68,277 | $16,000 |
| Economics | $67,692 | $19,303 |
| Political Science | $62,815 | $17,500 |
Quick list of all 28 majors
- Anthropology—
- Applied Mathematics$82,156
- Biology$59,249
- Biomedical Engineering$88,795
- Business Administration$68,277
- Chemistry$56,888
- Cognitive Science$51,147
- Computer Engineering$102,575
- Economics$67,692
- English$58,623
- Environmental Engineering$83,007
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- History$44,144
- Linguistics—
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Materials Engineering—
- Mechanical Engineering$95,040
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$62,815
- Psychology$53,143
- Psychology (Research)—
- Public Health$56,393
- Social Sciences—
- Sociology$50,468
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Visual and Performing Arts—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Biology → Biological technician
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Merced
Overall prices in the Merced, CA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,517. Housing costs 21% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 13 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: river flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Merced County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Merced County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of California-Merced with similar schools
Similar public colleges in California by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California-Merced | 91% | $11,983 | 69% | $64,368 | This school |
| California State University-Bakersfield | 94% | $5,652 | 50% | $59,009 | |
| California State University-Stanislaus | 98% | $6,067 | 53% | $63,188 | |
| California State University-Monterey Bay | 97% | $13,663 | 59% | $59,247 | |
| Sonoma State University | 93% | $12,885 | 58% | $65,986 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of California-Merced would cost you $6,331 more per year than California State University-Bakersfield, on average.
- Higher sticker price at University of California-Merced, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$7,533).
- University of California-Merced gives aided families $13,812 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, California resident | University of California-Merced | California State University-Bakersfield | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $15,623 | $8,090 | +$7,533 |
| Books & supplies | $1,214 | $1,068 | +$146 |
| Housing & meals | $20,293 | $14,430 | +$5,863 |
| Personal & travel | $5,011 | $3,782 | +$1,229 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,476 | −$7,848 | +$5,372 |
| Sticker price | $39,665 | $19,522 | +$20,143 |
| Average grants | −$27,682 | −$13,870 | −$13,812 |
| You pay | $11,983 | $5,652 | +$6,331 |
“+” means University of California-Merced costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about University of California-Merced
What is the University of California-Merced acceptance rate?
University of California-Merced accepts 91% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 26,598 of 67,891 applicants were admitted.
How much does University of California-Merced cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $39,665 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $11,983 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $7,945 and families earning $110k+ pay $28,734.
How much do University of California-Merced graduates earn?
Former University of California-Merced students earn a median $64,368 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the University of California-Merced graduation rate?
69% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 82% return for their second year.
Is University of California-Merced the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of California-Merced: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-california-merced (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).