Housing in Merced is very affordable. It was making the news a few years ago how UCM students were paying $300/month to live in McMansions https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/us/homework-and-jacuzzis-as-dorms-move-to-mcmansions-in-california.html I’m sure the market has recovered a bit since then, but it’s still easy to find affordable rentals.
Also, Merced College has an Engineering AS and an Honors Program. Maybe not a bad path to put down affordable stakes there and go straight through CC-to-UCM.