College comparison

UC Irvine vs UC Merced

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 Irvine Irvine, CA	UC Merced Merced, CA
Acceptance rateUniversity of California-Irvine is more selective	29%	91%
SAT (25–75)	—	—
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	30,197	8,372
Avg net price	$14,251	$11,983
Median earnings (10 yr)UC Irvine reports higher median earnings	$80,735	$64,368
Graduation rate	87%	69%
Median debt	$15,000	$16,144
Economic mobility	6.8%	—
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Public

Quick answers

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

University of California-Irvine is more selective: University of California-Irvine's acceptance rate is approximately 29% and University of California-Merced's is approximately 91% (estimates from public and primary sources).

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

The middle-50% SAT range is — at University of California-Irvine and — at University of California-Merced. 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.