College · Catholic life on campus
University of California-Merced
- LocationMerced, CA
- Type and sizePublic · 4-year · 9,147 students
University of California-Merced is not a Catholic college. This rating measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes.
Catholic life here hasn’t been researched yet. We research from official sources only, starting with the largest campuses, and we never guess.
Know the official campus ministry or Mass schedule page? Send us the link.
My rating and notes
Sign in or create a free account to rate this school privately, keep notes, and save it to your list.
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.69%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.82%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.20 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$12,647
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
Campus facts
| Sports | NAIA · California Pacific Conference |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| ROTC | Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 20 to 1 |
Federal data (IPEDS). None of this changes the faith grades.
Cost and value
Federal data, shown separately. Cost, debt, and earnings are never part of any grade.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 8,372 |
|---|---|
| Total students | 9,147 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $11,983 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $39,665 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $16,144 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 69% |
| First-year retention | 82% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $64,368 |
| Admission rate | 91% |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 59% |
Value index: 80 / 100 (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Local Church
The Most Reverend Joseph V. Brennan, Bishop of Fresno
Formal address: “Your Excellency”
Source: usccb.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.
Diocese determined from the county, using the diocese’s county list (Wikipedia). Confirm with the diocese.
About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 445188
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (high research)
- Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
- Respond as this school
Questions families ask
- Is University of California-Merced a Catholic college?
- No. University of California-Merced is not a Catholic college. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead.
Ask the school
Something you want to know that isn’t on this page? Ask it here. We send it to the school, and their answer appears on this page. Your name is never shared.
Reviews
Personal experiences from signed-in readers. Reviews are moderated automatically and never change a school’s grades.
No reviews yet.
Sign in to write a review.
Colleges like this one
Close in size, cost after aid, selectivity and faith life.
More in California · California rankings