Merced College

Merced, California · Public

Of 12 assessed programs, 11 leave graduates out-earning a typical California high-school graduate (about $36,976/yr) and 1 fall short. Another 94 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$4,155
$30k to $48k	$4,862
$48k to $75k	$5,562
$75k to $110k	$9,933
$110k and up	$10,902
All families (average)	$5,040

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.

12 of 106 programs could be assessed 11% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical California high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$39,525	+$2,549	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	760
Psychology	Associate's Degree	$37,188	+$212	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	367
Social Sciences	Associate's Degree	$41,246	+$4,270	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	227
Business Administration	Associate's Degree	$49,768	+$12,792	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	101
Sociology	Associate's Degree	$41,486	+$4,510	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	93
Practical and Vocational Nursing	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$57,587	+$20,611	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	84
Criminal Justice	Associate's Degree	$45,151	+$8,175	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	83
Precision Metalworking	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$44,926	+$7,950	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	64
Nursing	Associate's Degree	$118,723	+$81,747	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	53
Allied Health Diagnostics and Treatment	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$90,335	+$53,359	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	50
Practical and Vocational Nursing	Associate's Degree	$59,178	+$22,202	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	29
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs	Associate's Degree	$31,345 1-year earnings	-$5,631	falls short	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Human Development and Family Studies	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	93
Administrative and Office Support	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	80
Health Sciences	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	61
Auto Repair Technology	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	58
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	52
Agricultural Mechanization	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	43
Business Administration	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	36
Administrative and Office Support	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	34
History	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	31
Computer Science	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	30
Mathematics	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	29
Agricultural Business and Management	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	27
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	26
Human Development and Family Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	25
English	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
Healthcare Administration	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
Physics	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	21
Fine Arts	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Healthcare Administration	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Biology	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Communications and Media	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Business	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Allied Health Diagnostics and Treatment	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Agricultural Production Operations	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Electrician Training	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Accounting	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Fire Protection	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Human Services	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Economics	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Real Estate	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Auto Repair Technology	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Music	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Chemistry	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Agricultural Mechanization	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Culinary Arts	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Culinary Arts	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Engineering, General	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Theatre	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Accounting	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Computer and Information Science	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Political Science	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Electrician Training	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Agricultural Business and Management	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Philosophy	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Anthropology	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Precision Metalworking	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Visual and Performing Arts, General	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Fire Protection	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Human Services	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Geography and Cartography	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
International Relations	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Mental Health and Counseling Services	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Agriculture, General	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Agricultural Production Operations	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Graphic Communications	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Computer and Information Science	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Legal Support Services	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Biological and Physical Sciences	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Physical Sciences, General	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Geology and Earth Science	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Physical Science Technologies/Technicians	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Criminal Justice	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Archeology	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Film and Photography	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Fine Arts	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Mental Health and Counseling Services	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Business	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Real Estate	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Computer Systems Analysis	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Computer Science	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($36,976/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.