Merrimack vs. Manhattan School of Music

Comparable Facts

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

Merrimack College is larger than Manhattan School of Music based on total student enrollment (5,862 students vs. 1,084 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Merrimack College is located in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting); Manhattan School of Music is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
• Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Manhattan School of Music is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Merrimack College 13:1; Manhattan School of Music 6:1.

Merrimack vs. Manhattan School of Music Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or Manhattan School of Music? 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 Merrimack College than Manhattan School of Music ($38,504 vs. $51,767).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Manhattan School of Music are 16.1% lower than at Merrimack College ($18,050 vs. $21,525).
• Manhattan School of Music is 5.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Merrimack (about $3,088 more per year; $57,050.00 vs. $53,962.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.7% higher at Manhattan School of Music than at Merrimack College (about $3,088 more per year; $57,050.00 vs. $53,962.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College than at Manhattan School of Music (100% vs. 87%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 21.3% larger than aid received by Manhattan School of Music students ($31,550 vs. $26,001).

Merrimack vs. Manhattan School of Music Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Merrimack or Manhattan School of Music? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Manhattan School of Music and Merrimack.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Merrimack - Test-free; Manhattan School of Music - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Merrimack Sep 1, 2026; Manhattan School of Music Dec 1, 2026.
• Enrolled freshman Manhattan School of Music students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Merrimack (3.3).
• Merrimack has a higher acceptance rate (70%) than Manhattan School of Music (40.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.9% at Merrimack vs. 25.3% at Manhattan School of Music.

Merrimack vs. Manhattan School of Music Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Merrimack and Manhattan School of Music? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Manhattan School of Music's six-year graduation rate (76%) is higher than Merrimack College's (70%).
• Graduates from Merrimack College earn a median of about $20,600 more per year than Manhattan School of Music graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $37,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Manhattan School of Music graduates have a $3,250 lower median loan debt than Merrimack graduates ($23,750 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Manhattan School of Music graduates have an estimated $34 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Merrimack graduates ($245 vs. $279).
• More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Manhattan School of Music students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 65%)

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.