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Salem State University Framingham State University Westfield State University Endicott College University of Massachusetts-Boston Stonehill College UMass Dartmouth Fitchburg State Bryant University Assumption College Roger Williams University Quinnipiac| Bridgewater State University | Merrimack College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Bridgewater State | Merrimack | ||
| Location | Bridgewater, MA | North Andover, MA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 9,604 | 5,505 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #674 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bridgew.edu | merrimack.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Bridgewater State | Merrimack | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $910 | $45,815 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $7,050 | $45,815 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,162 | $18,295 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,225 | $37,296 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,616 | $27,729 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 82% | 97% |
Admission |
Bridgewater State | Merrimack | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 8,807 | 13,175 | ||
| Admitted | 7,725 | 9,833 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 87.7% | 74.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 20.3% | 12% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.21 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | |||
| SAT Range | 1030/1210 | |||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Feb 15, 2025 | Sep 1, 2024 |
Academics |
Bridgewater State | Merrimack | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Bridgewater State | Merrimack | ||
| Graduation Rate | 52% | 70% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $45,700 | $58,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 64% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,590 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $254 | $279 |
Diversity |
Bridgewater State | Merrimack | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 39% | 43% | ||
| % Women | 61% | 57% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 78% | 73% | ||
| % Black | 9% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 1% | ||
| % International | 0% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 11% |
Students |
Bridgewater State | Merrimack | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 66% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 31% | ||
Campus |
Bridgewater State | Merrimack | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Bridgewater State University is larger than than Merrimack based on total student enrollment (9,604 students vs. 5,505 students)
Bridgewater State vs. Merrimack Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Bridgewater State or Merrimack?
- Merrimack College is 4,934.6% more expensive to attend than Bridgewater State for in-state tuition ($45,815.00 vs. $910.00)
- Out of state tuition is 549.9% higher at Merrimack than Bridgewater State University ($45,815.00 vs. $7,050.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater State University than Merrimack ($17,225 vs. $37,296)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater State University are 29.2% lower than costs at Merrimack College ($14,162 vs. $18,295)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Merrimack College than Bridgewater State University (97% vs. 82%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 221.8% larger than aid received Bridgewater State University ($27,729 vs. $8,616)
Bridgewater State vs. Merrimack Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Bridgewater State or Merrimack? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Merrimack or Bridgewater State .
- Accepted freshman Merrimack students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Bridgewater State (3.21)
- Bridgewater State has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Merrimack (74.6%)
Bridgewater State vs. Merrimack Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Bridgewater State or Merrimack? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Merrimack and Bridgewater State.
- The graduation rate at Merrimack is higher than Bridgewater State University (70% vs. 52%)
- Graduates from Merrimack College earn on average $12,300 more per year than Bridgewater State graduates after ten years. ($58,000 vs. $45,700)
- Bridgewater State University students graduate with a $2,410 lower median federal student loan debt than Merrimack graduates. ($24,590 vs. $27,000)
- Bridgewater State graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Merrimack graduates. ($254 vs. $279)
- More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bridgewater State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/