Marian vs. Merrimack

Comparable Facts

Compare Marian University in Indianapolis, IN 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 Marian based on total student enrollment (5,862 students vs. 3,486 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Marian University is located in Indianapolis, IN (Large City setting); Merrimack College is in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting).
• Marian University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Marian University 13:1; Merrimack College 13:1.

Marian vs. Merrimack Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Marian 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 Marian University than Merrimack ($22,786 vs. $38,504).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Marian University are 35.7% lower than at Merrimack College ($13,850 vs. $21,525).
• Merrimack College is 32.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Marian (about $13,298 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $40,664.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 32.7% higher at Merrimack than at Marian University (about $13,298 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $40,664.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College than at Marian University (100% vs. 97%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Marian University students is 2.5% larger than aid received by Merrimack College students ($32,351 vs. $31,550).

Marian vs. Merrimack Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Marian 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 Marian.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Marian - Test-free; Merrimack - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Marian Aug 1, 2027; Merrimack Sep 1, 2026.
• Accepted freshman Marian students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Merrimack (3.3).
• Marian has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Merrimack (70%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.6% at Marian vs. 9.9% at Merrimack.

Marian vs. Merrimack Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Marian 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 Marian University's (58%).
• Graduates from Merrimack College earn a median of about $13,200 more per year than Marian graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $44,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Merrimack College and Marian graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Merrimack College and Marian 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 Marian students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 57%)

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.