Study: UC Merced Expansion Project will Pump $700 Million into Local Economy

By Sam Yniguez, UC Merced

December 7, 2023

The Merced 2020 Project, which added 13 facilities to UC Merced’s campus and nearly doubled its square footage, has so far contributed $510.9 million to the regional economy through construction costs alone.

Taking into account staffing, ongoing maintenance, additional students and their post-graduation employment, the total impact of the 2020 Project is estimated at $696.7 million through 2030, or $23.7 million per year, according to a study produced by Lightcast, a global market analytics firm.

“UC Merced has indeed risen far since its earliest days in 2003, when a dedicated, visionary group of eight faculty, along with staff and graduate students, labored at the former Castle Air Force Base,” UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz said. “We have amassed a record and reputation truly unparalleled in American higher education — a record of research and teaching, of public service, of social mobility and of economic uplift to our community.”

Lightcast issued a previous report on the annual impact of overall UC Merced operations, looking at the year 2018-2019, before the full realization of the 2020 Project. It found the university’s economic contribution to the San Joaquin Valley to be $514.6 million per year.
Among other findings, Lightcast reported that a student graduating from UC Merced with a bachelor’s degree will earn, on average, $26,900 more each year than the average Valley worker with only a high school diploma.

“UC Merced’s 2020 Project is not only expected to expand the San Joaquin Valley economy through the short-term injection of money to construct the 13 new buildings and supporting infrastructure, but also is expected to increasingly grow the regional economy by providing more students with access to quality education and providing regional employers with a skilled and knowledgeable workforce,” said Hannah Ruffridge, an economist and Lightcast’s director of education consulting, who oversaw both studies.

UC Merced Ranked 15th Best Public College in the Nation By Wall Street Journal

Samuel Yniquez l September 6, 2023

UC Merced has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal Best Colleges in the U.S. ranking published today. Out of 400 universities that were looked at nationwide, UC Merced came in at No. 15 for public institutions. The university was ranked No. 59 overall.

This latest assessment, a joint venture between the Wall Street Journal and college-focused survey and research platform College Pulse, has been reworked from prior years. Shifting from traditional metrics, the methodology used to compile the rankings now emphasizes student outcomes.

Among the new criteria examined was how colleges improved their students’ likelihood of graduating on time and how much they increased salaries following graduation. According to the researchers, this list provides a more accurate reflection of the value a school provides its students.

Another change in this latest iteration of the rankings is the weight added to the student experience. More than 60,000 current students and recent graduates were surveyed earlier this year by College Pulse. The data, the researchers said, “captured a range of perspectives on student life, including students’ perception of learning opportunities, career preparation, dining halls and sports facilities, and the students’ thoughts on diversity.”

“I am pleased to see our institution recognized for student outcomes,” said UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz. “Student success has always been our North Star, and this report is further proof that students are benefitting from choosing UC Merced.”

The Wall Street Journal ranking comes on the heels of another good showing in Washington Monthly’s annual College Guide and Rankings. Buoyed by its impact on student social mobility, UC Merced came in at No. 56. Washington Monthly’s rankings are the result of three equally weighted categories: social mobility, research, and community and national service. As a result, UC Merced also claimed the 25th spot in the “Best Bang for the Buck in the West” section.