Columbia College vs. Merrimack

Should I go to Columbia College Chicago or Merrimack College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College 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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Columbia College Chicago vs. Merrimack College comparison
Columbia College Chicago Merrimack College College 3 College 4
Columbia College Chicago Merrimack College
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Overview

Columbia College Merrimack
Location Chicago, IL North Andover, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,646 5,505
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu merrimack.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College Merrimack
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $45,815
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $45,815
Room & Board $18,000 $18,295
Avg Net Price $28,387 $37,296
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $27,729
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 97%

Admission

Columbia College Merrimack
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 13,175
Admitted 7,298 9,833
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open 74.6%
Enrolled % 22%Open 12%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 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 Aug 1, 2025 Sep 1, 2024

Academics

Columbia College Merrimack
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Columbia College Merrimack
Graduation Rate 41% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $58,000
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

Columbia College Merrimack
% Men 40% 43%
% Women 60% 57%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 73%
% Black 15% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 1%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 7% 11%

Students

Columbia College Merrimack
% In-State 57% 66%
% Out-of-State 40% 31%

Campus

Columbia College 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

  • Columbia College Chicago is larger than than Merrimack based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 5,505 students)

Columbia College vs. Merrimack Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or Merrimack?

  • Merrimack College is 56.5% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($45,815.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.5% higher at Merrimack than Columbia College Chicago ($45,815.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia College Chicago than Merrimack ($28,387 vs. $37,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College Chicago are 1.6% lower than costs at Merrimack College ($18,000 vs. $18,295)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago than Merrimack College (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 53.9% larger than aid received Columbia College Chicago ($27,729 vs. $18,020)

Columbia College vs. Merrimack Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Merrimack (3.3)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than Merrimack (74.6%)

Columbia College vs. Merrimack Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College 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 Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at Merrimack is higher than Columbia College Chicago (70% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Merrimack College earn on average $20,700 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($58,000 vs. $37,300)
  • Columbia College Chicago students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Merrimack graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Merrimack graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 46%)

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