Massachusetts Maritime Academy vs. Merrimack

Deciding between Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Merrimack College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Merrimack College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buzzards Bay, MA
  • Merrimack North Andover, MA
  • Setting
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy Midsize Suburban
  • Merrimack Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 1,488
  • Merrimack 5,862
  • Type
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy Public 4 Year
  • Merrimack Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy #345
  • Merrimack
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy -
  • Merrimack Roman Catholic
  • Status
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy Non-profit
  • Merrimack Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy
  • Merrimack
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy $11,420
  • Merrimack $53,962
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy $23,722
  • Merrimack $53,962
  • Room & Board
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy $14,990
  • Merrimack $21,525
  • Average Net Price
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy $13,546
  • Merrimack $38,504
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy $16,502
  • Merrimack $31,550
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 90%
  • Merrimack 100%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 1,265
  • Merrimack 14,070
  • Admitted
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 1,198
  • Merrimack 9,852
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 94.7%
  • Merrimack 70%
  • Enrolled
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 38.1%
  • Merrimack 9.9%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 1110
  • Merrimack
  • Typical ACT score
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 24
  • Merrimack
  • Average High School GPA
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 3.25
  • Merrimack 3.3
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy B+
  • Merrimack B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy Moderate
  • Merrimack Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy
  • Merrimack Low
  • ACT Range
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 20/28
  • Merrimack
  • SAT Range
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 1030/1185
  • Merrimack
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy Test-free
  • Merrimack Test-free
  • Application Deadline
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy Apr 15, 2027
  • Merrimack Sep 1, 2026
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 13:1
  • Merrimack 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy
    • Engineering (47%)
    • Transportation and Materials Moving (21%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
    • Business (11%)
    • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • Merrimack
    • Business (32%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
    • Psychology (7%)
    • Biology (6%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 65%
  • Merrimack 70%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy $87,900
  • Merrimack $58,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 84%
  • Merrimack 78%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy $27,000
  • Merrimack $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy $279
  • Merrimack $279
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 85%
  • Merrimack 43%
  • % Women
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 15%
  • Merrimack 57%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy Very Low
  • Merrimack Low
  • HBCU
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy No
  • Merrimack No
  • % White
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 87%
  • Merrimack 73%
  • % Asian
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 1%
  • Merrimack 1%
  • % Black
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 1%
  • Merrimack 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 4%
  • Merrimack 5%
  • % Native American
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 0%
  • Merrimack 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 0%
  • Merrimack 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 3%
  • Merrimack 1%
  • % International
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 1%
  • Merrimack 5%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 3%
  • Merrimack 11%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 73%
  • Merrimack 68%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy 26%
  • Merrimack 30%
  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy Yes
  • Merrimack Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy Yes
  • Merrimack No
  • Meal Plan
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy Yes
  • Merrimack Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy Yes
  • Merrimack No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy No
  • Merrimack No

Comparable Facts

Compare Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, MA 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 Massachusetts Maritime Academy based on total student enrollment (5,862 students vs. 1,488 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy is located in Buzzards Bay, MA (Midsize Suburban setting); Merrimack College is in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Massachusetts Maritime Academy 13:1; Merrimack College 13:1.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy vs. Merrimack Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Massachusetts Maritime Academy 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 Massachusetts Maritime Academy than Merrimack ($13,546 vs. $38,504).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts Maritime Academy are 30.4% lower than at Merrimack College ($14,990 vs. $21,525).
  • Merrimack College is 372.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Massachusetts Maritime Academy (about $42,542 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $11,420.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 127.5% higher at Merrimack than at Massachusetts Maritime Academy (about $30,240 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $23,722.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College than at Massachusetts Maritime Academy (100% vs. 90%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 91.2% larger than aid received by Massachusetts Maritime Academy students ($31,550 vs. $16,502).

Massachusetts Maritime Academy vs. Merrimack Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Massachusetts Maritime Academy 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 Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Massachusetts Maritime Academy 1030/1185.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Massachusetts Maritime Academy 20/28.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Massachusetts Maritime Academy - Test-free; Merrimack - Test-free.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Massachusetts Maritime Academy Apr 15, 2027; Merrimack Sep 1, 2026.
  • Accepted freshman Merrimack students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Massachusetts Maritime Academy (3.25).
  • Massachusetts Maritime Academy has a higher acceptance rate (94.7%) than Merrimack (70%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 38.1% at Massachusetts Maritime Academy vs. 9.9% at Merrimack.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy vs. Merrimack Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Massachusetts Maritime Academy 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 Massachusetts Maritime Academy's (65%).
  • Graduates from Massachusetts Maritime Academy earn a median of about $29,900 more per year than Merrimack graduates about ten years after starting college ($87,900 vs. $58,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Merrimack College and Massachusetts Maritime Academy graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers in the federal data, Merrimack College and Massachusetts Maritime Academy graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
  • More Massachusetts Maritime Academy graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Merrimack students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 78%)

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.