Fitchburg State vs. Merrimack

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

Fitchburg State Merrimack
Location Fitchburg, MA North Andover, MA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,554 5,505
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #549
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fitchburgstate.edu merrimack.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Fitchburg State Merrimack
Tuition (In State) $970 $45,815
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $45,815
Room & Board $13,516 $18,295
Avg Net Price $15,535 $37,296
Avg Grant Aid $7,093 $27,729
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 97%

Admission

Fitchburg State Merrimack
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,084 13,175
Admitted 2,654 9,833
Acceptance Rate 86.1% 74.6%
Enrolled % 18.3% 12%
Avg High School GPA 3.29 3.3
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Average Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28
SAT Range 1020/1220
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Sep 1, 2024

Academics

Fitchburg State Merrimack
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Fitchburg State Merrimack
Graduation Rate 47% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,000 $58,000
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,685 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $234 $279

Diversity

Fitchburg State Merrimack
% Men 38% 43%
% Women 62% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 73%
% Black 9% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 11%

Students

Fitchburg State Merrimack
% In-State 90% 66%
% Out-of-State 10% 31%

Campus

Fitchburg State 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

  • Fitchburg State University is larger than than Merrimack based on total student enrollment (6,554 students vs. 5,505 students)

Fitchburg State vs. Merrimack Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fitchburg State or Merrimack?

  • Merrimack College is 4,623.2% more expensive to attend than Fitchburg State for in-state tuition ($45,815.00 vs. $970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 549.9% higher at Merrimack than Fitchburg State University ($45,815.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fitchburg State University than Merrimack ($15,535 vs. $37,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fitchburg State University are 35.4% lower than costs at Merrimack College ($13,516 vs. $18,295)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Merrimack College than Fitchburg State University (97% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 290.9% larger than aid received Fitchburg State University ($27,729 vs. $7,093)

Fitchburg State vs. Merrimack Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Merrimack students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Fitchburg State (3.29)
  • Fitchburg State has a higher acceptance rate (86.1%) than Merrimack (74.6%)

Fitchburg State vs. Merrimack Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fitchburg 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 Fitchburg State.

  • The graduation rate at Merrimack is higher than Fitchburg State University (70% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Merrimack College earn on average $14,000 more per year than Fitchburg State graduates after ten years. ($58,000 vs. $44,000)
  • Fitchburg State University students graduate with a $4,315 lower median federal student loan debt than Merrimack graduates. ($22,685 vs. $27,000)
  • Fitchburg State graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than Merrimack graduates. ($234 vs. $279)
  • More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fitchburg State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 65%)

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