Merced College is a public community college founded in 1962, serving Merced County and the surrounding San Joaquin Valley in California's Central Valley. With an enrollment of approximately 14,900 students, Merced College offers associate degrees, certificates, and transfer programs across liberal arts, sciences, healthcare, agriculture, and workforce education. The Blue Devils athletic teams compete in the Central Valley Conference with 14 varsity sports and 266 total athletes. Merced College is recognized as a top-ranked community college and is an important educational gateway for students in one of California's most agriculturally significant counties. The college provides strong pathways to UC Merced, the CSU system, and private universities, and is known for its commitment to serving a diverse student population that includes many first-generation college students and agricultural workers. The college's location near the UC Merced campus creates unique research and educational partnership opportunities.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
—
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$$5,890
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $8,520
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
