Merced College

www.mccd.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$1,104

2024 Average Net Price

$6,854

After Financial Aid

2024 Enrolled Students

12,472

40% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

35.7%

359 Graduates

About

Merced College is a higher education institution located in Merced County, CA. In 2024, the most popular 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate concentrations at Merced College were Liberal Arts & Sciences (812 degrees awarded), Automobile Mechanics Technology (39 degrees), and Agricultural Mechanics & Equipment (36 degrees).

In 2024, 3,266 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Merced College. 60% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 40% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was hispanic or latino (2,182 degrees), 3.95 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (553 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Merced College is $1,104, which is $−7,056 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($8,160).

Associates Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional Associates Colleges

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Merced College is $1,104, which is $7,056 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($8,160).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $6,854.

In 2024, 64% of undergraduate students attending Merced College received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 1% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$1,104

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Merced College was $1,104. The cost of tuition at Merced College is $−7,056 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Associates Colleges ($8,160).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Merced College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$6,854

2024 Value

9.3%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 Merced College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $6,854. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Merced College grew by 9.3%.

This chart compares the average net price of Merced College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$19,431

Room and Board

$938

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Merced College was of $19,431 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 9.26% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $938. The cost of books and supplies decreased by 18.6% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Merced College (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

64%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

64% of undergraduate students at Merced College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2023, when 64% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Merced College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Enrollment

Merced College had a total enrollment of 12,472 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Merced College is 4,985 students and the part-time enrollment is 7,487. This means that 40% of students enrolled at Merced College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Merced College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 66% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% White, 7.11% Asian, 3.79% Black or African American, 3.28% Two or More Races, 0.345% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.216% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Merced College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly Hispanic or Latino Female (41.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Male (28%) and White Female (7.98%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

40%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Merced College in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 12,472 students. The full-time enrollment at Merced College is 4,985 and the part-time enrollment is 7,487. This means that 40% of students enrolled at Merced College are enrolled full-time compared with 31.9% at similar Associates Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Merced College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

63%

2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Merced College was 63%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Associates Colleges (64%), Merced College had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Merced College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)

Hispanic or Latino
8,228 enrolled students
White
2,054 enrolled students
Asian
887 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Merced College is 66% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% White, 7.11% Asian, 3.79% Black or African American, 3.28% Two or More Races, 0.345% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.216% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Associates Colleges is 41.3% White, 28.4% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.2% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 306 students (2.45%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 652 more women than men received degrees from Merced College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Merced College is hispanic or latino (2,182 degrees awarded). There were 3.95 times more hispanic or latino recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (553 degrees).

The most common 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate concentration at Merced College is Liberal Arts & Sciences (812 degrees awarded), followed by Automobile Mechanics Technology (39 degrees) and Agricultural Mechanics & Equipment (36 degrees).

In 2024, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Merced College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Agriculture (186 degrees awarded), Precision Production (160 degrees), and Psychology (370 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Merced College are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (385,735 people), Other managers (378,667 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (305,639 people), Postsecondary teachers (168,797 people), and Chief executives & legislators (164,299 people).

The most specialized majors at Merced College in 2024 are Agriculture (186 degrees awarded), Precision Production (160 degrees), Psychology (370 degrees), Social Sciences (319 degrees), and Human Sciences (90 degrees) (as of 2024).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Merced College are Surgeons, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Correspondence clerks & order clerks, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

The most specialized majors at Merced College are Agriculture (186 degrees awarded), Precision Production (160 degrees), Psychology (370 degrees), Social Sciences (319 degrees), and Human Sciences (90 degrees) (as of 2024).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Merced College are Elementary & secondary schools (819,793 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (455,130 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (349,414 people), Legal services (319,302 people), and Computer Systems Design (269,165 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Merced College.

Most Common (2024)

Liberal Arts & Sciences
812 degrees awarded
Automobile Mechanics Technology
39 degrees awarded
Agricultural Mechanics & Equipment
36 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate concentration at Merced College was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 812 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from 1 to 2 year postsecondary certificate programs at Merced College according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,307

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

1,959

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 1,307 degrees were awarded to men at Merced College, which is 0.667 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,959).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Merced College by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 305 degrees were awarded to men at Merced College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 0.55 times less than the 555 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 555 degrees were awarded to men at Merced College in Liberal Arts & Sciences, which is 1.82 times more than the 305 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

15%

100% Completion Time

29%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 15% of students graduating from Merced College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 29% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 36% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Associates Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

Hispanic or Latino
2,182 degrees awarded
White
553 degrees awarded
Asian
225 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Merced College is hispanic or latino (2,182 degrees awarded). There were 3.95 times more hispanic or latino recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white (553 degrees).

1.22% of degree recipients (40 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

Hispanic or Latino Female
1,303 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
1,246 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
1,182 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Merced College is hispanic or latino female (1,303 degrees awarded). There were 1.05 times more hispanic or latino female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino female (1,246 degrees).

Operations

Merced College has an endowment valued at nearly $10.5M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 3.55M (33.7%) compared to the 12.8% average return (818k on 6.41M) across all Associates Colleges.

In 2024, Merced College had a total salary expenditure of 165M. Merced College employs 187 Instructors. Most academics at Merced College are Female Instructor (104), and Male Instructor (83).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Merced College are: Office and Administrative Support, with 114 employees, Management, with 51 employees, and Service with 49 employees.

Endowment

$10.5M

2024 Endowment

7.97%

growth from 2023

Merced College has an endowment valued at about $10.5M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Merced College grew 7.97% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $4.13M higher than than the median endowment of Associates Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Merced College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Associates Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$5.7M - Federal
$21.2M - State
$22.6k - Local

As of 2024, Merced College received $5.7M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $21.2M from state grants and contracts, and $22.6k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$59.8M

2024 Salaries

12.5%

growth from 2023

In 2024, Merced College paid a median of $59.8M in salaries, which represents 36.2% of their overall expenditure ($165M) and a 12.5% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 10.2% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 4.31% growth between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$20M

Instructional Salaries

187

Number of Employees

In 2024, Merced College paid a total of $20M to 187 employees working as instructors, which represents 33.4% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $720k (4.04%) for similar Associates Colleges.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Merced College were Office and Administrative Support with 114 employees, Management with 51 employees, and Service with 49 employees.

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