Merrimack vs. Five Towns College

Comparable Facts

Compare Merrimack College in North Andover, MA with Five Towns College in Dix Hills, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Merrimack College is larger than Five Towns College based on total student enrollment (5,862 students vs. 974 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Merrimack College is located in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting); Five Towns College is in Dix Hills, NY (Large Suburban setting).
• Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Five Towns College is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Merrimack College 13:1; Five Towns College 11:1.

Merrimack vs. Five Towns College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or Five Towns College? 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 Five Towns College than Merrimack ($24,724 vs. $38,504).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Five Towns College are 30.3% lower than at Merrimack College ($15,000 vs. $21,525).
• Merrimack College is 78.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Five Towns College (about $23,712 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $30,250.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 78.4% higher at Merrimack than at Five Towns College (about $23,712 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $30,250.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College as at Five Towns College (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 73.5% larger than aid received by Five Towns College students ($31,550 vs. $18,184).

Merrimack vs. Five Towns College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Merrimack or Five Towns College? 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 Five Towns College and Merrimack.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Merrimack - Test-free; Five Towns College - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Merrimack Sep 1, 2026.
• Accepted freshman Merrimack students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Five Towns College (2.83).
• Merrimack has a higher acceptance rate (70%) than Five Towns College (53.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.9% at Merrimack vs. 42.9% at Five Towns College.

Merrimack vs. Five Towns College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Merrimack and Five Towns College? 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 Five Towns College's (31%).
• Graduates from Merrimack College earn a median of about $18,900 more per year than Five Towns College graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $39,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Five Towns College and Merrimack graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Five Towns 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 Five Towns College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 50%)

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.