Merrimack vs. PAFA

Comparable Facts

Compare Merrimack College in North Andover, MA with Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Merrimack College is larger than PAFA based on total student enrollment (5,862 students vs. 41 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Merrimack College is located in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting); Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
• Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Merrimack College 13:1; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 2:1.

Merrimack vs. PAFA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or PAFA? 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 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts than Merrimack ($33,323 vs. $38,504).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts are 13.3% lower than at Merrimack College ($18,662 vs. $21,525).
• Merrimack College is 21% more expensive for in-state tuition than PAFA (about $9,362 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $44,600.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 21% higher at Merrimack than at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (about $9,362 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $44,600.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College as at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 27.3% larger than aid received by Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts students ($31,550 vs. $24,785).

Merrimack vs. PAFA Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Merrimack - Test-free; PAFA - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Merrimack Sep 1, 2026; PAFA Feb 1, 2027.

Merrimack vs. PAFA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Merrimack and PAFA? 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.

• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts's six-year graduation rate (73%) is higher than Merrimack College's (70%).
• Graduates from Merrimack College earn a median of about $36,000 more per year than PAFA graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $22,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts graduates have a $500 lower median loan debt than Merrimack graduates ($26,500 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, PAFA graduates have an estimated $5 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Merrimack graduates ($274 vs. $279).
• More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PAFA students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 63%)

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.