Merrimack vs. NEC

Comparable Facts

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

Merrimack College is larger than NEC based on total student enrollment (5,862 students vs. 3,275 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Merrimack College is located in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting); New England College is in Henniker, NH (Distant Rural setting).
• Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. New England College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Merrimack College 13:1; New England College 8:1.

Merrimack vs. NEC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or NEC? 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 New England College than Merrimack ($27,398 vs. $38,504).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at New England College are 18.6% lower than at Merrimack College ($17,526 vs. $21,525).
• Merrimack College is 28.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than NEC (about $12,024 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $41,938.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 28.7% higher at Merrimack than at New England College (about $12,024 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $41,938.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College than at New England College (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by New England College students is 1.7% larger than aid received by Merrimack College students ($32,095 vs. $31,550).

Merrimack vs. NEC Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Merrimack - Test-free; NEC - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Merrimack Sep 1, 2026.
• Accepted freshman Merrimack students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at NEC (2.81).
• NEC has a higher acceptance rate (92.1%) than Merrimack (70%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.9% at Merrimack vs. 8.8% at NEC.

Merrimack vs. NEC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Merrimack and NEC? 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 New England College's (38%).
• Graduates from Merrimack College earn a median of about $18,600 more per year than NEC graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $39,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, New England College and Merrimack graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, New England 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 NEC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 54%)

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.