Merrimack vs. Colby-Sawyer

Comparable Facts

Compare Merrimack College in North Andover, MA with Colby Sawyer College in New London, NH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Merrimack College is larger than Colby-Sawyer based on total student enrollment (5,862 students vs. 972 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Merrimack College is located in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting); Colby Sawyer College is in New London, NH (Distant Rural setting).
• Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Colby Sawyer College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Merrimack College 13:1; Colby Sawyer College 10:1.

Merrimack vs. Colby-Sawyer Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or Colby-Sawyer? 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 Colby Sawyer College than Merrimack ($27,496 vs. $38,504).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby Sawyer College are 19.3% lower than at Merrimack College ($17,364 vs. $21,525).
• Merrimack College is 182.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Colby-Sawyer (about $34,837 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $19,125.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 182.2% higher at Merrimack than at Colby Sawyer College (about $34,837 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $19,125.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College as at Colby Sawyer College (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 184.3% larger than aid received by Colby Sawyer College students ($31,550 vs. $11,098).

Merrimack vs. Colby-Sawyer Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Merrimack or Colby-Sawyer? 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 Colby-Sawyer and Merrimack.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Merrimack - Test-free; Colby-Sawyer - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Merrimack Sep 1, 2026.
• Colby-Sawyer has a higher acceptance rate (80.1%) than Merrimack (70%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.9% at Merrimack vs. 13% at Colby-Sawyer.

Merrimack vs. Colby-Sawyer Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Merrimack and Colby-Sawyer? 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 Colby Sawyer College's (54%).
• Graduates from Merrimack College earn a median of about $13,100 more per year than Colby-Sawyer graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $44,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Colby Sawyer College and Merrimack graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Colby Sawyer College and Merrimack 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 Colby-Sawyer students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 77%)

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.