Merrimack vs. FIT

Comparable Facts

Compare Merrimack College in North Andover, MA with Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Fashion Institute of Technology is larger than Merrimack based on total student enrollment (8,206 students vs. 5,862 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Merrimack College is located in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting); Fashion Institute of Technology is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
• Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Fashion Institute of Technology is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Merrimack College 13:1; Fashion Institute of Technology 16:1.

Merrimack vs. FIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or FIT? 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 Fashion Institute of Technology than Merrimack ($16,340 vs. $38,504).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Merrimack College are 15.4% lower than at Fashion Institute of Technology ($21,525 vs. $25,458).
• Merrimack College is 757.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than FIT (about $47,668 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $6,294.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 219.8% higher at Merrimack than at Fashion Institute of Technology (about $37,088 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $16,874.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College than at Fashion Institute of Technology (100% vs. 43%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 279.9% larger than aid received by Fashion Institute of Technology students ($31,550 vs. $8,304).

Merrimack vs. FIT Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Merrimack or FIT? 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 FIT and Merrimack.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Merrimack - Test-free; FIT - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Merrimack Sep 1, 2026; FIT Jan 1, 2027.
• Merrimack has a higher acceptance rate (70%) than FIT (60.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.9% at Merrimack vs. 55.8% at FIT.

Merrimack vs. FIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Merrimack and FIT? 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).

• Graduates from Merrimack College earn a median of about $6,400 more per year than FIT graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $51,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Fashion Institute of Technology graduates have a $7,500 lower median loan debt than Merrimack graduates ($19,500 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, FIT graduates have an estimated $78 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Merrimack graduates ($201 vs. $279).
• More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FIT 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.