Best Mobile App Development Schools Near Merced, CA (2026)

Merced, California has 23 accredited schools offering mobile app development programs, with tuition ranging from $1,168 to $12,249 per year for indexed programs. Merced has a population of about 89,766. Median household income is $59,938 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning mobile app development-related role is Web and Digital Interface Designer at a median $136,110 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Mobile App Development Schools to Merced

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer mobile app development programs near Merced, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Merced city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Merced. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Merced College

Merced, CA 2.0 miles from Merced BOC Score 51.7
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,815
Avg net price $5,040/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California mobile app development page.


Mobile App Development Wages Near Merced

Merced is part of the Merced, CA metro area (BLS area code 32900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developer$132,120Merced, CA$134,405
Web Developer$119,570CA statewide$121,638
Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester$128,740CA statewide$130,966
Web and Digital Interface Designer$136,110CA statewide$138,464

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Merced at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population89,766Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$59,938Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+18.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)98.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Merced-Area Cities With Mobile App Development Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited mobile app development schools are near Merced, CA?

Our directory has 23 accredited schools offering mobile app development programs near Merced. The closest is Modesto Junior College in Modesto, CA (37.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Lemoore College (78.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying mobile app development roles near Merced?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying mobile app development-related roles near Merced are: Web and Digital Interface Designer ($136,110), Software Developer ($132,120), Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester ($128,740). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Atwater instead of Merced?

Atwater, CA is 7.4 miles from Merced and has its own set of local mobile app development programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Merced an affordable place to study mobile app development?

Merced’s median household income of $59,938 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Merced while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Mobile App Development Programs

Other Programs Available in Merced

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Merced:

Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.