College comparison

UC Merced vs UC Riverside

A side-by-side of acceptance rate, test scores, and cost — source-cited estimates, not guarantees. Want the number that actually matters for your student? Model your admit odds at each.

Metric	UC Merced Merced, CA	UC Riverside Riverside, CA
Acceptance rateUniversity of California-Riverside is more selective	91%	76%
SAT (25–75)	—	—
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	8,372	22,593
Avg net price	$11,983	$14,304
Median earnings (10 yr)UC Riverside reports higher median earnings	$64,368	$67,699
Graduation rate	69%	76%
Median debt	$16,144	$17,500
Economic mobility	—	6.0%
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Public

Quick answers

Is University of California-Merced or University of California-Riverside harder to get into?

University of California-Riverside is more selective: University of California-Merced's acceptance rate is approximately 91% and University of California-Riverside's is approximately 76% (estimates from public and primary sources).

What SAT score do you need for University of California-Merced vs University of California-Riverside?

The middle-50% SAT range is — at University of California-Merced and — at University of California-Riverside. Scores outside these bands are still admitted, especially with strong applications.

Figures are estimates compiled from public datasets (College Scorecard / IPEDS) and primary sources; verify with each institution before relying on them.

These outputs are estimates from a baseline model — not guarantees of admission, cost, or outcome.