Merrimack vs. RIC

Should I go to Merrimack College or Rhode Island College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Merrimack or RIC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Merrimack College vs. Rhode Island College comparison
Merrimack College Rhode Island College College 3 College 4
Merrimack College Rhode Island College
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Overview

Merrimack RIC
Location North Andover, MA Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,505 5,787
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #720
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website merrimack.edu ric.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Merrimack RIC
Tuition (In State) $45,815 $9,481
Tuition (Out of State) $45,815 $25,014
Room & Board $18,295 $13,414
Avg Net Price $37,296 $11,014
Avg Grant Aid $27,729 $7,537
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 62%

Admission

Merrimack RIC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,175 3,921
Admitted 9,833 3,432
Acceptance Rate 74.6% 87.5%
Enrolled % 12% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.08
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range 870/1110
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Sep 1, 2024 Mar 15, 2025

Academics

Merrimack RIC
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

Merrimack RIC
Graduation Rate 70% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,000 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,200
Median Loan Payment $279 $219

Diversity

Merrimack RIC
% Men 43% 29%
% Women 57% 71%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 73% 62%
% Black 3% 8%
% Hispanic 5% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 11% 8%

Students

Merrimack RIC
% In-State 66% 80%
% Out-of-State 31% 20%

Campus

Merrimack RIC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Rhode Island College is larger than than Merrimack based on total student enrollment (5,787 students vs. 5,505 students)

Merrimack vs. RIC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or RIC?

  • Merrimack College is 383.2% more expensive to attend than RIC for in-state tuition ($45,815.00 vs. $9,481.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 83.2% higher at Merrimack than Rhode Island College ($45,815.00 vs. $25,014.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhode Island College than Merrimack ($11,014 vs. $37,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rhode Island College are 36.4% lower than costs at Merrimack College ($13,414 vs. $18,295)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Merrimack College than Rhode Island College (97% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 267.9% larger than aid received Rhode Island College ($27,729 vs. $7,537)

Merrimack vs. RIC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Merrimack or RIC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RIC or Merrimack .

  • Accepted freshman Merrimack students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at RIC (3.08)
  • RIC has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than Merrimack (74.6%)

Merrimack vs. RIC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Merrimack or RIC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between RIC and Merrimack.

  • The graduation rate at Merrimack is higher than Rhode Island College (70% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Merrimack College earn on average $16,000 more per year than RIC graduates after ten years. ($58,000 vs. $42,000)
  • Rhode Island College students graduate with a $5,800 lower median federal student loan debt than Merrimack graduates. ($21,200 vs. $27,000)
  • RIC graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than Merrimack graduates. ($219 vs. $279)
  • More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 59%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/