The Merced area has easy access to many fine institutions of higher learning. Within a one-hour radius, over 71,000 students attend colleges and universities, including California State University, Stanislaus and California State University, Fresno. Schools of Engineering, Business, and Computer Science are readily at hand.

The University of California has already opened its Merced office, and is offering classes in Merced through the Tri-College Center, a collaborative initiative with Merced College and California State University, Stanislaus. The UC Merced campus opening is slated for fall 2004.

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Institution	Location	Enrollment
University of California, Merced	Merced	N/A
California State University, Stanislaus	Turlock	6,213
California State University, Fresno	Fresno	18,115
Merced College	Merced	7,445
Fresno City College	Fresno	21,442
Modesto Junior College	Modesto	14,464
Chapman University	Merced	43
University of Phoenix	Fresno, Merced	300
Fresno Pacific College	Fresno	1,656
Golden Gate University	Fresno	800
International English Institute	Fresno	100
National University	Fresno	1,200
University of California, San Francisco/Fresno (medical)	Fresno	195

Merced Union High School District is a unified district of high schools within Merced County, including three campuses located in Merced. Golden Valley and Merced High Schools offer complete traditional programs, including advanced placement and honors classes. East Campus provides alternative education. The high schools have complete sports, music and extra-curricular programs, and frequently win honors in these fields.

The Merced County Office of Education provides a continuation high school and special education services.

Merced College
Merced College is a fully-accredited community college, offering diverse programs to meet the needs of the community as well as students going on to baccalaureate programs.

Merced College's Employer Focused Training Center offers business training programs tailored to teach job-specific skills. Merced College also houses the John Deere Ag Tech and Toyota Technical Education Network programs providing certified training for John Deere and Toyota technicians.

Tri-College Center
The Merced Tri-College Center is the first facility of its kind in California to combine resources from each of the three public higher education systems in the State.

Partnering in the Center are the University of California at Merced, California State University, Stanislaus, and Merced College. Housed in a new facility at Merced College’s campus, the Center offers about 75 courses each academic year, drawn from the programs of the three institutions, including upper-division, baccalaureate, and post-graduate courses. The Center allows UC academic training in advance of the opening of the full UC campus in the year 2004.

The Center offers videoconferencing capability and state of the art computer labs.

Merced Collegiate Academy
A new educational partnership between Merced College, area high schools, UC Merced and California State University, Stanislaus offers a summer academy program of courses in which high school students may earn both high school and college credit. The goal of the Academy is to encourage high school students to take a rigorous academic program and advance to a successful collegiate career. Students also receive special counseling to prepare them for the college entry experience.