University of California-Merced: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Merced, California · Public · Selective · CDS 2024-2025
University of California-Merced is a public university in Merced, California that admits about 39% of applicants, making it a selective school. The average family pays about $12,744 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Biology, General, Computer Engineering and Business Administration, Management and Operations, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 69% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 5.8 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of California-Merced is a public institution located in Merced, California with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of California-Merced admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 39%. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $12,744 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of California-Merced is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What parents should know about University of California-Merced right now
UC Merced, established September 5, 2005 as the tenth and newest UC campus, achieved a milestone in February 2025 when the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education granted it R1 very high research activity status, the highest research designation in U.S. higher education. With this, all UC campuses are now R1, and UC Merced is the only R1 university in California's Central Valley and one of fewer than 200 institutions nationwide with that designation. The campus has conferred nearly 900 doctorate degrees since admitting its first graduate students in 2004. Undergraduate enrollment stands at 8,372 (fall 2024), keeping class sizes small for a research university. UC Merced offers 27 undergraduate majors and holds ABET accreditation in mechanical, environmental, and materials science engineering. A distinctive option for health-focused families is the SJV PRIME+ program, which combines four years of undergraduate study with four years of medical school to prepare physicians for underserved Central Valley communities. UC Merced is also a national leader in social mobility: 60 percent of undergraduates are Pell Grant recipients, the campus serves a 58 percent Hispanic student body, and the Wall Street Journal recently ranked it No. 1 for social mobility. Admissions remain accessible, with a 91.5 percent admit rate from 31,582 fall 2024 applicants, an average GPA of 3.57, and a middle 50 percent SAT range of 1140 to 1390, though all UCs are test-blind in admissions decisions.
What GPA does my child need for University of California-Merced?
Admitted students at University of California-Merced typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does University of California-Merced weight in admissions?
University of California-Merced reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Application essay
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Recommendations
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Class rank
- • Standardized test scores
- • Interview
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores University of California-Merced typically admits
Many applicants to schools in this tier submit test scores, though the policy varies by year — check the latest test-optional status before deciding.
- • Test-blind: University of California-Merced does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if submitted.
- • Policy detail: Not considered
How much does University of California-Merced actually cost?
Published tuition is $14,167 for in-state students and $44,944 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $20,293 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $12,744 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 59% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | — |
| Room and board | — |
| Average net price (after aid) | $12,744 |
| Application fee | $70 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of California-Merced
| Regular deadline | 11/30 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
Will my child graduate from University of California-Merced?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at University of California-Merced
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of California-Merced, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Biology, General, Computer Engineering and Business Administration, Management and Operations. Across all programs, University of California-Merced confers roughly 1,485 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Biology, General program report a median income of about $67,342 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Biology, General | 316 | $67,342 |
| Computer Engineering | 219 | $102,036 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 188 | $61,387 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 187 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 184 | $85,156 |
| Public Health | 141 | — |
| Psychology, General | 134 | $52,632 |
| Political Science and Government | 116 | $59,111 |
Is University of California-Merced safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of California-Merced disclosed 49 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 5.8 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 4 violent offenses and 9 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
What is campus life like at University of California-Merced?
About 52% of undergraduates at University of California-Merced live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in California parents ask about
- Stanford University4% acceptance
- University of California-Berkeley12% acceptance
- University of California-Los Angeles9% acceptance
- University of Southern California10% acceptance
- University of California-Davis42% acceptance
- University of California-Irvine26% acceptance
- University of California-San Diego25% acceptance
- University of California-Santa Barbara63% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of California-Merced
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of California-Merced recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of California-Merced
What GPA do I need for University of California-Merced?
Admitted students at University of California-Merced typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses.
What SAT or ACT score does University of California-Merced typically admit?
University of California-Merced does not publish standardized test ranges in the most recent reporting cycle. Test-optional policies have made scores less universally required, but submitting strong scores still helps when available.
How much does University of California-Merced actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of California-Merced after grants and scholarships is $12,744 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of California-Merced realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of California-Merced is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Merced?
University of California-Merced accepts about 39% of applicants out of roughly 31,582 who apply each year. That makes it a selective school.
Is University of California-Merced test-optional?
University of California-Merced is test-blind: it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if you submit them.
What is the graduation rate at University of California-Merced?
About 69% of students at University of California-Merced graduate within six years, and 51% finish in four years. 82% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does University of California-Merced look for in applicants?
University of California-Merced rates course rigor, GPA and the application essay as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is University of California-Merced a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of California-Merced is a public institution located in Merced, California.
What are the most popular majors at University of California-Merced?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of California-Merced by annual graduates are Biology, General, Computer Engineering and Business Administration, Management and Operations. The school awards about 1,485 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of California-Merced safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of California-Merced reported 49 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 5.8 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at University of California-Merced?
At University of California-Merced, 52% of undergraduates live on campus, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of California-Merced, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.