Maine College of Art & Design vs. Merrimack

Comparable Facts

Compare Maine College of Art & Design in Portland, ME with Merrimack College in North Andover, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Merrimack College is larger than Maine College of Art & Design based on total student enrollment (5,862 students vs. 475 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Maine College of Art & Design is located in Portland, ME (Small City setting); Merrimack College is in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting).
• Maine College of Art & Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Maine College of Art & Design 8:1; Merrimack College 13:1.

Maine College of Art & Design vs. Merrimack Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Maine College of Art & Design or Merrimack? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Merrimack College than Maine College of Art & Design ($38,504 vs. $39,639).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Maine College of Art & Design are 20.2% lower than at Merrimack College ($17,184 vs. $21,525).
• Merrimack College is 25.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Maine College of Art & Design (about $11,020 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $42,942.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 25.7% higher at Merrimack than at Maine College of Art & Design (about $11,020 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $42,942.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Maine College of Art & Design as at Merrimack College (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 55.6% larger than aid received by Maine College of Art & Design students ($31,550 vs. $20,277).

Maine College of Art & Design vs. Merrimack Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Maine College of Art & Design or Merrimack? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Merrimack and Maine College of Art & Design.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Maine College of Art & Design - Test-free; Merrimack - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Merrimack Sep 1, 2026.
• Maine College of Art & Design has a higher acceptance rate (76.1%) than Merrimack (70%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 16.1% at Maine College of Art & Design vs. 9.9% at Merrimack.

Maine College of Art & Design vs. Merrimack Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Maine College of Art & Design and Merrimack? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Merrimack College's six-year graduation rate (70%) is higher than Maine College of Art & Design's (42%).
• Graduates from Merrimack College earn a median of about $26,400 more per year than Maine College of Art & Design graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $31,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Merrimack College and Maine College of Art & Design graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Merrimack College and Maine College of Art & Design graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Maine College of Art & Design students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 70%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.