Safety Score
4.15 /1K students
incidents per 1,000 enrolled
Merced, CA · Clery Act 2023 · Public
University of California-Merced
According to the U.S. Department of Education's Clery Act filings, this profile covers campus safety, crime statistics, fire-safety data, and peer comparison for this 9,147-student campus.
- 4.15
- Incidents / 1k students
- #2,484
- Rank of 3,050
- #263
- CA rank
- 9,147
- Enrolled students
Data updated June 2026
The verdict
University of California-Merced reports 4.15 on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students, ranking #2,484 of 3,050 ranked U.S. campuses - with more reported incidents than 83% of ranked campuses its size.
- 4.15
- incidents / 1,000 students
- #2,484
- of 3,050 ranked nationally
- 83%
- report fewer incidents than this campus
- 34
- on-campus incidents, 2023
Safety score = reported on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is safer).
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2023
University of California-Merced increased from 24 to 34 reported on-campus incidents between the 2022 and 2023 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesUniversity of California-Merced is a Public institution located in Merced, CA, enrolling approximately 9,147 students. Clery Act data spanning 2021–2023 records 70 total on-campus incidents across all reported crime categories. Within CA, it ranks #263 by safety score. Verify with the U.S. Department of Education Clery Act database →
With 9,147 enrolled students, this campus sits in the mid-sized institution bracket, which shapes how raw incident counts should be interpreted.
The most frequently reported category at University of California-Merced is "Rape" with 16 cumulative incidents across the reporting window. Compared to 5 peer institutions of similar enrollment size in CA averaging 4.30 incidents per 1,000 students, University of California-Merced reports 3% fewer incidents per student.
Fire safety data covers 1 reporting year for on-campus residential facilities, logging 90 total fires. Arrests and disciplinary actions span 9 category-year records, covering liquor law violations, drug law violations, and weapons possession on-campus. No Department of Education Clery Act enforcement actions are recorded against this institution.
National Rank
#2484
See peer comparison
State Rank (CA)
#263
within state peers
Incidents (2023)
34
across 11 crime categories
Where University of California-Merced sits among ranked U.S. campuses
On-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 students, every ranked campus with 2,000+ students
4 safer than 17% of 1,807 ranked campuses
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more ranked campuses. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act) · 2023
Safety percentile vs. peers
University of California-Merced percentile rank 18.6%
National median
Higher percentile = safer than more peers. Rank #2484 out of 3,050 ranked institutions (enrollment >= 500) in the OPE Campus Safety Survey.
Reporting density vs peer median
University of California-Merced reports 3% fewer incidents per student than the median of 5 peer institutions.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $15,623
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $49,823
- Avg Net Price
- $11,983
- Median Debt
- $16,144
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 59%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 91%
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 69%
- Retention Rate
- 82%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $48,475
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $64,368
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 74%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlyUniversity of California-Merced: on-campus incidents by year
Rising 183% (12 → 34 incidents)
| Crime Type | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggravated Assault | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Arson | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Burglary | 2 | 10 | 2 |
| Fondling | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rape | 9 | 3 | 4 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Figures show on-campus incidents
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
9 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2023 | 2 | 108 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 1 | 149 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 1 | 1 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 0 | 65 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 3 | 100 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2021 | 1 | 30 |
| Liquor | 2021 | 1 | 83 |
| Weapons | 2021 | 0 | 0 |
University of California-Merced vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer).
CA
University of California-Merced
4.15 incidents / 1,000 students
GA
Mercer University
4.71 incidents / 1,000 students
MN
University of St Thomas
3.07 incidents / 1,000 students
Similar Institutions
Mercer University
Macon, GA · 9,124 enrolled
Safety Score 4.71
University of St Thomas
St. Paul, MN · 9,121 enrolled
Safety Score 3.07
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC · 9,121 enrolled
Safety Score 7.67
CUNY Graduate School and University Center
New York, NY · 9,116 enrolled
Safety Score 0.22
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA · 9,110 enrolled
Safety Score 5.82
Closest by National Rank
Institutions ranked nearest University of California-Merced nationally (rank #2484), regardless of size or state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is University of California-Merced safe?
University of California-Merced has a safety score of 4.15 (total on-campus incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #2,484 nationally out of 3,050+ ranked institutions. Compare this with peer institutions for context.
What crimes are reported at University of California-Merced?
Aggravated Assault, Arson, Burglary, Fondling, Incest, and other categories, for calendar year 2023.
How does University of California-Merced compare to similar schools?
See the Similar Institutions section below for peers of similar enrollment in CA.
Does University of California-Merced have fire safety data?
Yes. University of California-Merced reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 90 fires were reported in the most recent year.
Understanding University of California-Merced's Safety Profile
University of California-Merced in Merced, CA enrolls 9,147 students and has a safety score of 4.15 incidents per 1,000 enrolled students , ranking #2484 nationally.
Reported incidents cover 2021 to 2023. On-campus incidents increased from 24 in 2022 to 34 in 2023.
Fire safety data covers on-campus residential facilities. 90 fires were reported in the most recent year.
What this means for you
University of California-Merced's 4.15 reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students is a starting point for comparison, not a verdict on any student's safety.
- Weigh University of California-Merced against similar-size campuses, scale changes what the raw count means. Compare campuses
- A higher count can mean stronger reporting, not more danger. How the data works
- Clery covers campus grounds only. Campus vs. city crime
Figures reflect the 2023 Clery Act reporting year as filed with the U.S. Department of Education.
Data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCampus Editorial
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.