Merrimack vs. CW

Comparable Facts

Compare Merrimack College in North Andover, MA with The College of Westchester in White Plains, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Merrimack College is larger than CW based on total student enrollment (5,862 students vs. 759 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Merrimack College is located in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting); The College of Westchester is in White Plains, NY (Small City setting).
• Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. The College of Westchester is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Merrimack College 13:1; The College of Westchester 19:1.

Merrimack vs. CW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or CW? 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 The College of Westchester than Merrimack ($15,871 vs. $38,504).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The College of Westchester are 55.8% lower than at Merrimack College ($9,520 vs. $21,525).
• Merrimack College is 114.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than CW (about $28,771 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $25,191.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 114.2% higher at Merrimack than at The College of Westchester (about $28,771 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $25,191.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College as at The College of Westchester (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 99.2% larger than aid received by The College of Westchester students ($31,550 vs. $15,841).

Merrimack vs. CW Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Merrimack - Test-free; CW - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Merrimack Sep 1, 2026.
• CW has a higher acceptance rate (94.4%) than Merrimack (70%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.9% at Merrimack vs. 21.3% at CW.

Merrimack vs. CW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Merrimack and CW? 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).

• Graduates from Merrimack College earn a median of about $18,200 more per year than CW graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,000 vs. $39,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, The College of Westchester graduates have a $3,106 lower median loan debt than Merrimack graduates ($23,894 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, CW graduates have an estimated $32 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Merrimack graduates ($247 vs. $279).
• More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CW students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 31%)

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.