UC Merced Tuition & Fees 2026–27 — Cheapest UC, But Only Off Campus
Every line item for 2026–27, straight from UC Merced’s own cost-of-attendance schedule — including the one number that decides whether Merced is actually your cheapest UC.
What UC Merced Costs in 2026–27
UC Merced’s fee total for a student entering in autumn 2026 is $17,024 — that is $15,588 of systemwide tuition and Student Services Fee, which every UC charges, plus $1,436 of Merced’s own campus-based fees. Merced sits mid-table on campus fees: cheaper than Davis, San Diego and Berkeley, dearer than UCLA, Riverside and Irvine.
| Cost (entering autumn 2026) | On campus | Off campus | At home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $17,024 | $17,024 | $17,024 |
| Food & housing | $23,180 | $14,814 | $8,790 |
| Books & supplies | $1,148 | $1,148 | $1,148 |
| Transport | $1,412 | $2,890 | $2,882 |
| Personal | $2,814 | $2,882 | $3,132 |
| Health insurance | $2,996 | $2,996 | $2,996 |
| Loan fee | $80 | $80 | $80 |
| Total — CA resident | $48,654 | $41,834 | $36,052 |
| Total — nonresident & international | $87,924 | $81,104 | $75,322 |
Nonresident rows add $39,270 of Nonresident Supplemental Tuition; international students pay the same as domestic nonresidents. Health insurance is waivable with comparable cover. Source: UC Merced Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships, Cost of Attendance 2026-27.
The Number That Decides It: On Campus vs Off
Merced is widely described as the cheapest UC. That is true — but only for students who live off campus, and the gap is bigger here than anywhere else in the system.
Living off campus at Merced saves $8,366 a year against the dorms. That is the largest on-versus-off gap of any UC campus; the next widest is Berkeley at about $4,600, and at Irvine and UCLA living off campus actually costs more. The reason is that Merced’s two markets pull in opposite directions: its off-campus rents are the cheapest in the UC system by a distance, while its on-campus food and housing charge is the second highest of all nine campuses, behind only Berkeley.
Ranked on total cost of attendance across the nine undergraduate campuses:
- Off campus — Merced is 1st (cheapest). $39,184 against Davis at $42,407 and Riverside at $42,626.
- Commuting from home — Merced is 1st. $34,774, ahead of Riverside at $35,111.
- Living on campus — Merced is 7th of 9. $46,183, behind UCLA ($43,162), Irvine ($43,488), Riverside ($44,511), San Diego ($44,646), Santa Cruz ($45,998) and Davis ($46,158).
Rankings computed from UCOP Standard Methodology Budgets 2025-26, Table 7, which is the most recent systemwide comparison published. Merced’s own 2026-27 figures are in the table above.
What Rent Actually Costs in Merced
The city of Merced is the reason the off-campus route works. Typical rents within five miles of campus:
| Arrangement | Merced | Cheapest coastal UC town | Most expensive UC town |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-bedroom | $1,258 | $2,452 (Berkeley) | $3,537 (Santa Cruz) |
| Two-bedroom | $1,560 | $2,994 (Berkeley) | $4,536 (Santa Cruz) |
| Own room, sharing a 3-bed | $715 | $1,276 (Berkeley) | $1,923 (Santa Cruz) |
| Own room, sharing a 4-bed | $650 | $1,135 (Berkeley) | $1,520 (Santa Cruz) |
Monthly, excluding food and utilities. Source: UCOP, Typical Housing Costs Near UC Campuses (March 2026), derived from HUD 2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents. Merced is the cheapest UC town in every column. UC Merced runs an off-campus housing service with current local listings.
Your Rate Is Locked to the Year You Started
UC’s Tuition Stability Plan freezes your systemwide rate for up to six years, so what you pay depends on the autumn you first enrolled rather than the current year. Merced publishes all four live cohorts, which makes the effect concrete:
| First enrolled | Tuition & fees | Nonresident supplement | Total on-campus cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn 2026 | $17,024 | $39,270 | $48,654 |
| Autumn 2025 | $16,370 | $37,602 | $48,000 |
| Autumn 2024 | $15,872 | $34,200 | $47,502 |
| Autumn 2023 | $15,188 | $32,574 | $46,818 |
A 2023 starter still pays $1,836 a year less than a 2026 starter, and a nonresident 2023 starter saves $6,696 a year. Transferring between UC campuses resets you to the current cohort rate. Source: UC Merced Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships, Cost of Attendance 2026-27.
One Merced-Only Programme Cost
The Teacher Preparation Programme is billed separately from undergraduate study: fees of $10,800, with a full budget of $32,614 assuming off-campus living. Source: UC Merced Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships, Cost of Attendance 2026-27.
Before You Compare Sticker Prices
The figures above are sticker cost. Under the systemwide Blue & Gold Opportunity Plan, eligible California residents below the income ceiling pay no systemwide tuition at any UC, Merced included — the mechanics are the same everywhere, and are set out on our UC tuition and fees page. Run UC Merced’s own net price calculator before ruling any campus out; sticker and net price diverge sharply here. UC Merced’s FAFSA school code is 041271.