Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Endicott College Stonehill College Bryant University Assumption College Roger Williams University Quinnipiac SHU Saint Anselm College UMass Dartmouth Curry College Salve Regina University Southern New Hampshire University| Merrimack College | Rivier College | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Merrimack | Rivier College | ||
| Location | North Andover, MA | Nashua, NH | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 5,688 | 2,879 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | merrimack.edu | rivier.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Merrimack | Rivier College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $47,636 | $36,508 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $47,636 | $36,508 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,995 | $14,943 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $38,849 | $28,227 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $29,235 | $22,763 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 98% |
Admission |
Merrimack | Rivier College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,693 | 1,749 | ||
| Admitted | 10,079 | 1,430 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 73.6% | 81.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.6% | 20.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | ||||
| SAT Range | ||||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Sep 1, 2025 | Oct 16, 2025 |
Academics |
Merrimack | Rivier College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 14:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Merrimack | Rivier College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 70% | 32% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $58,000 | $46,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 78% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $25,455 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $263 |
Diversity |
Merrimack | Rivier College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 9% | 26% | ||
| % Women | 17% | 28% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 73% | 79% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 3% | ||
| % International | 5% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 11% | 8% |
Students |
Merrimack | Rivier College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 49% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 32% | 51% | ||
Campus |
Merrimack | Rivier College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Merrimack College is larger than than Rivier College based on total student enrollment (5,688 students vs. 2,879 students)
Merrimack vs. Rivier College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or Rivier College?
- Merrimack College is 30.5% more expensive to attend than Rivier College for in-state tuition ($47,636.00 vs. $36,508.00)
- Out of state tuition is 30.5% higher at Merrimack than Rivier College ($47,636.00 vs. $36,508.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rivier College than Merrimack ($28,227 vs. $38,849)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rivier College are 33.8% lower than costs at Merrimack College ($14,943 vs. $19,995)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Merrimack College than Rivier College (100% vs. 98%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 28.4% larger than aid received Rivier College ($29,235 vs. $22,763)
Merrimack vs. Rivier College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Merrimack or Rivier College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Rivier College or Merrimack .
- Rivier College has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than Merrimack (73.6%)
Merrimack vs. Rivier College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Merrimack or Rivier College? 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 Rivier College and Merrimack.
- The graduation rate at Merrimack is higher than Rivier College (70% vs. 32%)
- Graduates from Merrimack College earn on average $11,600 more per year than Rivier College graduates after ten years. ($58,000 vs. $46,400)
- Rivier College students graduate with a $1,545 lower median federal student loan debt than Merrimack graduates. ($25,455 vs. $27,000)
- Rivier College graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Merrimack graduates. ($263 vs. $279)
- More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rivier College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/