Acceptance rate
90.5%
University of California-Merced
Admission Chances & Acceptance Rate
This public university in Merced, California enrolls about 9,100 students and has a 90.5% acceptance rate. Engineering, Psychology, and Biology are the most popular majors, together accounting for over 60% of degrees awarded. In-state tuition is $38,907 annually, and the median federal debt at graduation is $16,144. About 69% of students graduate within six years.
Enrollment
9,103
Test policy
blind
Grad rate (6-yr)
69%
Will you get into University of California-Merced?
Enter your GPA, SAT & ACT and get your personal admission probability — free, no credit card.
Calculate my chances →◴ Admitted Student Profile
The middle 50% of admitted students (25th–75th percentile), self-reported by the school.
SAT (combined)
Not published
ACT (composite)
Not published
GPA
Not published
$ What You'll Actually Pay
Average yearly net price after grants & scholarships, by family income (federal cohort averages — not a personal quote).
$0–30k
$7,945
family income
$30–48k
$8,465
family income
$48–75k
$11,557
family income
$75–110k
$14,828
family income
$110k+
$28,734
family income
59% receive Pell grants
29% take federal loans
✦ Strongest Programs
The fields University of California-Merced graduates the most students in — a signal of depth, faculty, and alumni networks.
Engineering
23.5%
Psychology
20.0%
Biology
17.5%
Business & Marketing
10.9%
Social Sciences
9.9%
↗ Outcomes
School-level averages across all students who enrolled (College Scorecard). Not a personal forecast.
Earnings (10 yr)
$64,368
Earnings (6 yr)
$48,475
Completion
69%
Retention
82%
Median debt
$16,144
? Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at University of California-Merced?
University of California-Merced has an acceptance rate of 90.5%, making it relatively accessible.
How much does University of California-Merced actually cost?
After grants and scholarships, the average net price for the lowest income band is $7,945 per year, rising to $28,734 for families earning $110k+. These are federal cohort averages, not a personal quote.
What are my chances of getting into University of California-Merced?
Your odds depend on how your GPA and test scores compare to admitted students, plus factors like major, residency, and early decision. UniversityOdds calculates a personalized probability for free — enter your stats to see yours.
See your real odds at University of California-Merced and ~50 top schools
UniversityOdds compares your profile to real admissions data — and tells you honestly when it's guessing.
Get my free odds →Data sourced from IPEDS, the Common Data Set, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Acceptance probabilities calculated by UniversityOdds are estimates based on published academic data and are not a guarantee of admission. Net price figures are federal cohort averages, not personalized quotes — run the school's official net price calculator for your own estimate.