Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks University of California-Merced #123 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $65,410, in the 70.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment. Graduates earn about $20,891 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 96.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks University of California-Merced #394 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks University of California-Merced #123 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Merced, CA, University of California-Merced enrolls roughly 8,372 undergraduates. Retention stands at 82.1% and the six-year graduation rate is 68.7%, reflecting a young campus still building its completion infrastructure. What anchors University of California-Merced in the composite is mobility. The university sits in the 86.5 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, driven by a student body where 58.9% receive Pell Grants and 57.4% are first-generation college students — among the highest concentrations at any research university in CA. Access sits in the 91.2 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, and the 90.5% admission rate reflects a broad-access posture that welcomes students from a wide range of backgrounds. Engineering is the dominant program family, shaping both the academic identity and the post-graduation earnings profile. Return on investment is the lower-ranked pillar in the composite — Azimuth ranks University of California-Merced #393 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions, in the 73.5 percentile. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $65,410, and graduates earn about $20,891 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of California-Merced in the 96.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 91.4 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting the balance between public-tuition pricing and the financial realities facing a predominantly low-income student population.
University of California-Merced prices its degrees with meaningful differentiation across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $7,945 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $11,557, and higher-income families pay closer to $28,734. Azimuth ranks University of California-Merced #123 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That positioning reflects UC Merced's public-tuition structure and its relatively strong need-based aid reach for a young research university. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. For a fuller picture of how sticker price and net price diverge, see the net price illusion. UC Merced participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and California's robust Cal Grant program provides meaningful additional support for qualifying in-state students. The university's relatively young endowment means institutional grant depth is more limited than at older flagship campuses, but the combination of federal Pell Grants, Cal Grants, and UC system aid keeps net prices for low-income families well below the published cost of attendance of $39,665. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $16,144, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $18,376; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at University of California-Merced's median four-year earnings of $65,410, median federal debt of $16,144 projects to a monthly payment of about $182 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
University of California-Merced is a strong fit for students drawn to engineering, applied sciences, and related STEM fields who want a public research university in CA with a clear path to strong post-graduation earnings. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $65,410, placing University of California-Merced in the 70.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions — and earn about $20,891 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 96.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. With 58.9% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and 57.4% identifying as first-generation students, University of California-Merced serves a broad population of cost-sensitive families. Higher-income families pay a net price of around $28,734, and typical borrowers leave with median debt near $16,144 — a manageable figure relative to the earnings trajectory the university supports. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix is concentrated in Engineering and related technical fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes; and students who expect to stay in the West after graduation will find a labor market well-suited to the university's graduate profile.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the University Of California-Merced hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
University of California-Merced prices its degrees with meaningful differentiation across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $7,945 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $11,557, and higher-income families pay closer to $28,734.
Azimuth ranks University of California-Merced #123 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That positioning reflects UC Merced's public-tuition structure and its relatively strong need-based aid reach for a young research university.
Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. For a fuller picture of how sticker price and net price diverge, see the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/).
UC Merced participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and California's robust Cal Grant program provides meaningful additional support for qualifying in-state students. The university's relatively young endowment means institutional grant depth is more limited than at older flagship campuses, but the combination of federal Pell Grants, Cal Grants, and UC system aid keeps net prices for low-income families well below the published cost of attendance of $39,665.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $16,144, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $18,376; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at University of California-Merced's median four-year earnings of $65,410, median federal debt of $16,144 projects to a monthly payment of about $182 under standard ten-year repayment.
For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of University of California-Merced earn median 4-year earnings of $65,410, placing University of California-Merced in the 70.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $20,891 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 96.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks University of California-Merced #394 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major.
Biology, General reports 316 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $59,249, ranked #89 nationally in its major. Computer Engineering reports 219 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $102,575, ranked #38 nationally in its major.
Business Administration, Management and Operations reports 188 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $68,277, ranked #135 nationally in its major. Mechanical Engineering reports 184 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $95,040, ranked #51 nationally in its major.
Computer Engineering, General
219 graduates
Mechanical Engineering
184 graduates
Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
37 graduates
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
22 graduates
Applied Mathematics, General
36 graduates
University of California-Merced's program mix is anchored in Engineering, with meaningful enrollment across biological sciences, social sciences, and psychology. Engineering accounts for 23% of graduates, Social Sciences represents 14%, and Business makes up 9% — a distribution that reflects the university's research-oriented identity and its emphasis on STEM and quantitative fields.
Across 24 programs serving roughly 1,977 students annually, 16 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold. The strongest earnings outcomes cluster in engineering and applied-science fields.
Azimuth ranks Computer Engineering #28 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 219 graduates earning $102,575. Azimuth ranks Mechanical Engineering #18 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $95,040, and Azimuth ranks Business Administration #113 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $68,277.
Computer Engineering combines strong enrollment of 316 graduates with median earnings of $59,249, making it a key driver of the institution's overall earnings profile — Azimuth ranks the program #73 nationally [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Computer Engineering (219 graduates) and Business Administration (188 graduates) enroll large cohorts but reflect different career trajectories.
Computer Engineering is largely a grad-school-dependent pathway where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory, while engineering subfields like Political Science and Biology, General are high-mobility programs where graduates enter the workforce directly and earnings reflect labor-market outcomes. The [supply-demand map](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these fields align with national wage trends. ```
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Farmingdale State College Similar quality tier (#4278 ranked) | NY | 63% | $69,781 | #4278 | Compare |
University Of Massachusetts-Amherst Similar quality tier (#4277 ranked) | MA | 60% | $71,631 | #4277 | Compare |
California State University-Monterey Bay Similar quality tier in West (#4281 ranked) | CA | 97% | $59,247 | #4281 | Compare |
Illinois State University Similar quality tier (#4275 ranked) | IL | 88% | $62,117 | #4275 | Compare |
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Similar quality tier (#4282 ranked) | OK | 75% | $57,413 | #4282 | Compare |
