Merrimack vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design

Comparable Facts

Compare Merrimack College in North Andover, MA with Pennsylvania College of Art and Design in Lancaster, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Merrimack College is larger than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design based on total student enrollment (5,862 students vs. 414 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Merrimack College is located in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting); Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is in Lancaster, PA (Small City setting).
• Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Merrimack College 13:1; Pennsylvania College of Art and Design 10:1.

Merrimack vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or Pennsylvania College of Art and Design? 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 College of Art and Design than Merrimack ($28,826 vs. $38,504).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design are 20% lower than at Merrimack College ($17,230 vs. $21,525).
• Merrimack College is 67.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (about $21,812 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $32,150.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 67.8% higher at Merrimack than at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (about $21,812 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $32,150.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College as at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 110.5% larger than aid received by Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students ($31,550 vs. $14,989).

Merrimack vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Merrimack or Pennsylvania College of Art and Design? 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 Pennsylvania College of Art and Design and Merrimack.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Merrimack - Test-free; Pennsylvania College of Art and Design - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Merrimack Sep 1, 2026.
• Accepted freshman Merrimack students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (3.13).
• Pennsylvania College of Art and Design has a higher acceptance rate (99.2%) than Merrimack (70%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.9% at Merrimack vs. 32.5% at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.

Merrimack vs. Pennsylvania College of Art and Design Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Merrimack and Pennsylvania College of Art and Design? 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 Pennsylvania College of Art and Design's (52%).
• Graduates from Merrimack College earn a median of about $29,300 more per year than Pennsylvania College of Art and Design graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $28,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Pennsylvania College of Art and Design and Merrimack graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Pennsylvania College of Art and Design 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 Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 58%)

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.