Catholic University of America vs. Merrimack

Should I go to Catholic University of America or Merrimack College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Catholic University of America or Merrimack is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Catholic University of America vs. Merrimack College comparison
Catholic University of America Merrimack College College 3 College 4
Catholic University of America Merrimack College
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Overview

Catholic University of America Merrimack
Location Washington, DC North Andover, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,968 5,505
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cua.edu merrimack.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Catholic University of America Merrimack
Tuition (In State) $53,040 $45,815
Tuition (Out of State) $53,040 $45,815
Room & Board $16,670 $18,295
Avg Net Price $36,031 $37,296
Avg Grant Aid $34,449 $27,729
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 97%

Admission

Catholic University of America Merrimack
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,801 13,175
Admitted 4,965 9,833
Acceptance Rate 85.6% 74.6%
Enrolled % 15.4% 12%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025 Sep 1, 2024

Academics

Catholic University of America Merrimack
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Architecture (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Catholic University of America Merrimack
Graduation Rate 68% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,600 $58,000
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,106 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $269 $279

Diversity

Catholic University of America Merrimack
% Men 46% 43%
% Women 54% 57%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 73%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 13% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 1%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 11%

Students

Catholic University of America Merrimack
% In-State 5% 66%
% Out-of-State 87% 31%

Campus

Catholic University of America Merrimack
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Merrimack College is larger than than Catholic University of America based on total student enrollment (5,505 students vs. 4,968 students)

Catholic University of America vs. Merrimack Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Catholic University of America or Merrimack?

  • Catholic University of America is 15.8% more expensive to attend than Merrimack for in-state tuition ($53,040.00 vs. $45,815.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.8% higher at Catholic University of America than Merrimack College ($53,040.00 vs. $45,815.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catholic University of America than Merrimack ($36,031 vs. $37,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catholic University of America are 9.7% lower than costs at Merrimack College ($16,670 vs. $18,295)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catholic University of America than Merrimack College (98% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catholic University of America students is 24.2% larger than aid received Merrimack College ($34,449 vs. $27,729)

Catholic University of America vs. Merrimack Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Catholic University of America or Merrimack? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Merrimack or Catholic University of America .

  • Accepted freshman Catholic University of America students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Merrimack (3.3)
  • Catholic University of America has a higher acceptance rate (85.6%) than Merrimack (74.6%)

Catholic University of America vs. Merrimack Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Catholic University of America 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 Catholic University of America.

  • The graduation rate at Merrimack is higher than Catholic University of America (70% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Catholic University of America earn on average $600 more per year than Merrimack graduates after ten years. ($58,600 vs. $58,000)
  • Catholic University of America students graduate with a $894 lower median federal student loan debt than Merrimack graduates. ($26,106 vs. $27,000)
  • Catholic University of America graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Merrimack graduates. ($269 vs. $279)
  • More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catholic University of America students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 77%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/