Merced College

    Merced, CA, United States

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    • Public
    • Small city
    • Community college

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    Merced College Outcomes

    Merced College has 15 programs with reported graduate earnings. The highest is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (associate), where graduates earn a median $118,723 four years after finishing, against $79,943 for the same field nationally.

    Outcomes

    Verified data· U.S. College Scorecard · 2025
    35%

    Graduation rate

    First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time

    59%

    First-year retention

    Students who return for a second year

    Median earnings

    $43,058

    Former students who received federal aid

    Merced College graduate earnings by major

    Source: U.S. College Scorecard, field of study, 2025

    Median earnings of graduates who received federal aid, one and four years after finishing, and the median federal loan debt they borrowed at Merced College. The field median is the middle value for the same field and credential across every college that reports it. 97 more programs have too few graduates for earnings to be published.

    Largest program
    Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
    812 graduates · $39,525 median earnings
    Above the national median
    4 of 15 programs
    Graduate earnings compared with the same field and credential at other colleges

    Highest-earning programs

    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (associate)
    $118,723
    Field median $79,943
    Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (certificate)
    $90,335
    Field median $56,695
    Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (associate)
    $59,178
    Field median $65,305
    Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (certificate)
    $57,587
    Field median $56,821
    Business Administration, Management and Operations (associate)
    $49,768
    Field median $49,323
    Criminal Justice and Corrections (associate)
    $45,151
    Field median $47,306
    Precision Metal Working (certificate)
    $44,926
    Field median $49,100
    Sociology (associate)
    $41,486
    Field median $45,161
    Median earnings four years after finishing, or one year where four is not reported.

    Associate programs

    Associate programs: graduates, median earnings 1 and 4 years after finishing, national median earnings for the field, and median federal debt
    ProgramGraduatesEarnings 1 yrEarnings 4 yrField medianMedian debt
    Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing49$114,478$118,723$79,94349% aboveN/A
    Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants2N/A$59,178$65,3059% belowN/A
    Business Administration, Management and Operations109N/A$49,768$49,3231% aboveN/A
    Criminal Justice and Corrections61$29,719$45,151$47,3065% belowN/A
    Sociology81N/A$41,486$45,1618% belowN/A
    Social Sciences, General188$24,545$41,246$44,2677% belowN/A
    Psychology, General370$27,138$37,188$38,9034% belowN/A
    Business Operations Support and Assistant Services28$35,021N/A$40,96815% belowN/A
    Health/Medical Preparatory ProgramsNot available$32,944N/A$35,1006% belowN/A
    Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services74$22,432N/A$29,65224% belowN/A

    Certificate programs

    Certificate programs: graduates, median earnings 1 and 4 years after finishing, national median earnings for the field, and median federal debt
    ProgramGraduatesEarnings 1 yrEarnings 4 yrField medianMedian debt
    Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions88$83,805$90,335$56,69559% aboveN/A
    Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants144N/A$57,587$56,8211% aboveN/A
    Precision Metal Working147$43,274$44,926$49,1009% belowN/A
    Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities812$26,708$39,525$44,02210% belowN/A
    Business Operations Support and Assistant Services52$28,471N/A$32,66313% belowN/A

    Career paths from this college

    Careers linked to the programs Merced College reports, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for the whole occupation, not for this college's graduates.

    Explore all 529 careers
    • Bright outlook

      Healthcare practitioners

      Nurse Anesthetists

      Median pay
      $236,590
      Outlook
      Much faster than average

      Master's degree

      Via Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

      • Critical Thinking
      • Reading Comprehension
      • Active Learning
    • Management

      Chief Executives

      Median pay
      $213,990
      Outlook
      As fast as average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Business/Commerce, General, Business Administration, Management and Operations and 1 more

      • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Complex Problem Solving
      • Critical Thinking
    • Management

      Chief Sustainability Officers

      Median pay
      $213,990
      Outlook
      As fast as average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Business/Commerce, General, Business Administration, Management and Operations and 1 more

      • Critical Thinking
      • Writing
      • Active Listening
    • Bright outlook

      Management

      Computer and Information Systems Managers

      Median pay
      $175,140
      Outlook
      Much faster than average

      Bachelor's degree

      Via Computer and Information Sciences, General, Computer Science and 2 more

      • Critical Thinking
      • Active Listening
      • Reading Comprehension
    • Bright outlook

      Science

      Physicists

      Median pay
      $172,250
      Outlook
      Faster than average

      Doctoral or professional degree

      Via Physics

      • Science
      • Critical Thinking
      • Active Learning

    Explore these programs

    Every field of study, with the colleges that offer it and what graduates earn.

    Programs A–Z

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