UC Merced acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
University of California-Merced · Public · Merced, CA · 8,372 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
UC Merced admitted 39.2% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 75.5% in 2013. California residents pay $16,271 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $53,873.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 75.5% | 14,056 | 10,613 |
| 2014 | 67.2% | 16,268 | 10,929 |
| 2015 | 60.7% | 18,862 | 11,447 |
| 2016 | 74.2% | 20,888 | 15,492 |
| 2017 | 69.8% | 22,574 | 15,754 |
| 2018 | 66.2% | 25,131 | 16,628 |
| 2019 | 72.0% | 25,424 | 18,294 |
| 2020 | 84.8% | 25,923 | 21,982 |
| 2021 | 86.6% | 27,793 | 24,068 |
| 2022 | 89.5% | 29,920 | 26,766 |
| 2023 | 39.2% | 67,891 | 26,598 |
Applications went from 14,056 in fall 2013 to 67,891 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $7,387 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $7,141 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $10,285 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $14,069 |
| Over $110,000 | $30,779 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $16,271 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $53,873 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $41,008 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $11,583 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
What the numbers say
UC Merced's admit rate for fall 2023 was 39.2%, with 26,598 students admitted from 67,891 applications.1 The previous fall, 2022, showed a rate of 89.5%, and the fall 2013 rate was 75.5%, so the long-run change is a fall of 36.3 percentage points.1 The largest yearly change came last, from 89.5% in fall 2022 to 39.2% in fall 2023, and the rate declined in 5 of the 10 yearly changes.1 The cause is visible in the counts: applications grew 383%, from 14,056 to 67,891, while the number of admits grew 151%.1
UC Merced is test-blind, so SAT and ACT scores are not considered and none are reported.1
California residents pay $16,271 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, and nonresidents pay $53,873.2 The resident price is above the $8,846 median for the 33 public bachelor's colleges in California.2 Grants lower the cost: average net price in 2024-25 was $7,387 for families earning $0 to $30,000, $10,285 for $48,001 to $75,000, and $30,779 for families earning over $110,000.2
A total of 68% of 2019 entrants graduated within 6 years, compared with 60% as the median across 123 California colleges.2 The fall 2023 class had 82% retention. Graduates' median earnings were $69,352 at 10 years after entry, and median debt for borrowers was $13,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 67,891 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 26,598 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 2,416 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 8,372 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-blind | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | Not reported | Not reported |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | Not reported | Not reported |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $16,271 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $53,873 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $41,008 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $11,583 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $7,387 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $7,141 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $10,285 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $14,069 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $30,779 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 68% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 82% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 62% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $69,352 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $13,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, California (N = 33) | $8,846 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, California (N = 123) | 60% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with UC Merced, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page