College comparison

UC Merced vs University of Nevada-Reno

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	University of Nevada-Reno Reno, NV
Acceptance rateUniversity of Nevada-Reno is more selective	91%	74%
SAT (25–75)	—	1060–1290
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	8,372	15,599
Avg net price	$11,983	$15,927
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Public
Location	Merced, CA	Reno, NV

Quick answers

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

University of Nevada-Reno is more selective: University of California-Merced's acceptance rate is approximately 91% and University of Nevada-Reno's is approximately 74% (estimates from public and primary sources).

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

The middle-50% SAT range is — at University of California-Merced and 1060–1290 at University of Nevada-Reno. 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.