Merrimack vs. Plymouth

Comparable Facts

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

Merrimack College is larger than Plymouth based on total student enrollment (5,862 students vs. 3,707 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Merrimack College is located in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting); Plymouth State University is in Plymouth, NH (Remote Town setting).
• Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Plymouth State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Merrimack College 13:1; Plymouth State University 15:1.

Merrimack vs. Plymouth Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or Plymouth? 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 Plymouth State University than Merrimack ($20,183 vs. $38,504).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Plymouth State University are 38.9% lower than at Merrimack College ($13,158 vs. $21,525).
• Merrimack College is 268.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Plymouth (about $39,336 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $14,626.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 111.1% higher at Merrimack than at Plymouth State University (about $28,396 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $25,566.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College as at Plymouth State University (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 185.8% larger than aid received by Plymouth State University students ($31,550 vs. $11,039).

Merrimack vs. Plymouth Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Merrimack - Test-free; Plymouth - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Merrimack Sep 1, 2026; Plymouth Apr 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Merrimack students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Plymouth (3.08).
• Plymouth has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than Merrimack (70%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.9% at Merrimack vs. 13.7% at Plymouth.

Merrimack vs. Plymouth Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Merrimack and Plymouth? 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 Plymouth State University's (59%).
• Graduates from Merrimack College earn a median of about $15,800 more per year than Plymouth graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $42,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Plymouth State University and Merrimack graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Plymouth State University 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 Plymouth students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 73%)

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.