About
Merced College, founded in 1962, is a public community college located in Merced, California. The college serves approximately 18,673 students and offers 87 associate degree programs and 82 certificate programs, focusing on education, workforce training, and career-oriented programs.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Pell recipients here graduate at a 4.9-point higher rate than non-Pell students, unusual and worth a closer look.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 111 Title IV programs, 7 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 104 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing7 · 6.3%
- No Data104 · 93.7%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Near the line (±5%)
Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Programmatic accreditations · 1
Action history · 6
- Jun 2024Renewal of AccreditationAccrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
- Jul 2022Renewal of AccreditationJoint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology · Radiologic Technology (RAD) - Programs for radiographers
- Jan 2019Renewal of AccreditationAccrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
- Jan 2019Renewal of AccreditationAccrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
- Feb 2018Renewal of AccreditationJoint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology · Radiologic Technology (RAD) - Programs for radiographers
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 6,693 students received $31.6M in Pell grants, alongside $850K in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 0 borrowers who entered repayment, 0 (0.0%) defaulted within three years — below the 13.2% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Merced College
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 9
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus3
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Merced College vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Merced College selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectMerced College | 36% | Open admission | 12,472 | $5,040 | Community College |
| — | Open admission | 11,720 | $10,345 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 18,095 | $10,844 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 21,859 | $2,424 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 22,460 | $5,672 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 10,429 | $4,135 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 14,494 | $480 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 12,926 | $11,911 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 12,275 | $6,513 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 20,123 | $4,976 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 14,494 | $6,120 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 17,228 | $8,312 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 21,664 | $5,968 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 25,567 | $3,206 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 19,521 | $6,134 | Community College | |
| — | 90.8% | 17,437 | $11,453 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 12,075 | $8,365 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 14,440 | $5,311 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 24,985 | $6,202 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 13,523 | $8,398 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 14,583 | $0 or less | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 12,301 | $7,095 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 17,096 | $7,203 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 24,597 | $3,864 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 21,730 | $8,377 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 12,334 | $11,315 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 20,986 | $12,671 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 19,973 | $5,258 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 43,928 | $4,337 | Community College | |
| — | Open admission | 24,609 | $8,759 | Community College | |
| Peer group median | 36% | 90.8% | 17,333 | $6,202 |
Institutions like Merced College
Explore the federal data for institutions in Merced College's comparison group.
- Community CollegeNew Jersey
Bergen Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment11,720Net price$10,345View data - Community CollegeTexas
Blinn College District
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment18,095Net price$10,844View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Cerritos College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment21,859Net price$2,424View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Chaffey College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment22,460Net price$5,672View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Citrus College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment10,429Net price$4,135View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
College of the Sequoias
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment14,494Net price$480View data - Community CollegePennsylvania
Community College of Philadelphia
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment12,926Net price$11,911View data - Community CollegeRhode Island
Community College of Rhode Island
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment12,275Net price$6,513View data - Community CollegeNew York
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment20,123Net price$4,976View data - Community CollegeNew York
CUNY LaGuardia Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment14,494Net price$6,120View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Diablo Valley College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment17,228Net price$8,312View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
El Camino Community College District
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment21,664Net price$5,968View data - Community CollegeTexas
El Paso Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment25,567Net price$3,206View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Fullerton College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment19,521Net price$6,134View data - Community CollegeGeorgia
Georgia State University-Perimeter College
Grad rate—Admit rate90.8%Enrollment17,437Net price$11,453View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Glendale Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment12,075Net price$8,365View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Grossmont College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment14,440Net price$5,311View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Long Beach City College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment24,985Net price$6,202View data - Community CollegeMissouri
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment13,523Net price$8,398View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Moorpark College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment14,583Net price$0 or lessView data - Community CollegeNew York
Nassau Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment12,301Net price$7,095View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Orange Coast College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment17,096Net price$7,203View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Pasadena City College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment24,597Net price$3,864View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Riverside City College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment21,730Net price$8,377View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Santa Barbara City College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment12,334Net price$11,315View data - Community CollegeCalifornia
Southwestern College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment20,986Net price$12,671View data - Community CollegeNew York
Suffolk County Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment19,973Net price$5,258View data - Community CollegeTexas
Tarrant County College District
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment43,928Net price$4,337View data - Community CollegeNorth Carolina
Wake Technical Community College
Grad rate—Admit rateOpen admissionEnrollment24,609Net price$8,759View data
Merced College Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The page for Irma Olvera at Merced College includes her contact email and title as Custodian. It primarily provides links to various sections and resources of Merced College's website, but does not detail information specific to the Office of Institutional Research.
Visit IR office page- Irma OlveraCustodian
Reports & documents (1)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
Notable alumni of Merced College (8)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Brad ArnsbergAthletics
- Marvin EastmanAthletics
- Duke FergersonAthletics
- Bradin HagensAthletics
- Lavar JohnsonAthletics
- Brad LesleyAthletics
- Bill MooneyhamAthletics
- Jerry PenderAthletics
Frequently asked questions about Merced College
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Merced College.
What is the acceptance rate at Merced College?
What is the graduation rate at Merced College?
How many students attend Merced College?
What is the average net price at Merced College?
Where is Merced College located?
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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