Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Endicott College Stonehill College Bryant University Assumption College Roger Williams University Quinnipiac SHU Saint Anselm College UMass Dartmouth Curry College Salve Regina University Southern New Hampshire University| Merrimack College | Cairn University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Merrimack | Cairn | ||
| Location | North Andover, MA | Langhorne, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 5,505 | 1,031 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | merrimack.edu | cairn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Merrimack | Cairn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $45,815 | $31,255 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $45,815 | $31,255 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,295 | $11,764 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $37,296 | $25,923 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $27,729 | $18,376 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 96% |
Admission |
Merrimack | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,175 | 468 | ||
| Admitted | 9,833 | 379 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.6% | 81% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12% | 53.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.31 | ||
| 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 required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Sep 1, 2024 |
Academics |
Merrimack | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 11:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Merrimack | Cairn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 70% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $58,000 | $37,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 78% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $279 |
Diversity |
Merrimack | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 43% | 47% | ||
| % Women | 57% | 53% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 73% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 14% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 2% | ||
| % International | 5% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 11% | 0% |
Students |
Merrimack | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 60% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 31% | 36% | ||
Campus |
Merrimack | Cairn | ||
| 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
- Merrimack College is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (5,505 students vs. 1,031 students)
Merrimack vs. Cairn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or Cairn?
- Merrimack College is 46.6% more expensive to attend than Cairn for in-state tuition ($45,815.00 vs. $31,255.00)
- Out of state tuition is 46.6% higher at Merrimack than Cairn University ($45,815.00 vs. $31,255.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cairn University than Merrimack ($25,923 vs. $37,296)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 55.5% lower than costs at Merrimack College ($11,764 vs. $18,295)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Merrimack College than Cairn University (97% vs. 96%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 50.9% larger than aid received Cairn University ($27,729 vs. $18,376)
Merrimack vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Merrimack or Cairn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cairn or Merrimack .
- Accepted freshman Cairn students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Merrimack (3.3)
- Cairn has a higher acceptance rate (81%) than Merrimack (74.6%)
Merrimack vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Merrimack or Cairn? 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 Cairn and Merrimack.
- The graduation rate at Merrimack is higher than Cairn University (70% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Merrimack College earn on average $21,000 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($58,000 vs. $37,000)
- Cairn University and Merrimack graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
- Cairn University and Merrimack graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
- More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/