Merrimack vs. Wake Forest

Should I go to Merrimack College or Wake Forest University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Merrimack or Wake Forest 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. Wake Forest University comparison
Merrimack College Wake Forest University College 3 College 4
Merrimack College Wake Forest University
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Overview

Merrimack Wake Forest
Location North Andover, MA Winston Salem, NC
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 5,505 8,963
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website merrimack.edu wfu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Merrimack Wake Forest
Tuition (In State) $45,815 $61,012
Tuition (Out of State) $45,815 $61,012
Room & Board $18,295 $16,652
Avg Net Price $37,296 $26,197
Avg Grant Aid $27,729 $54,233
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 29%

Admission

Merrimack Wake Forest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,175 16,857
Admitted 9,833 3,602
Acceptance Rate 74.6% 21.4%
Enrolled % 12% 38%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range
SAT Range
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 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Merrimack Wake Forest
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Merrimack Wake Forest
Graduation Rate 70% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,000 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $237

Diversity

Merrimack Wake Forest
% Men 43% 43%
% Women 57% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 72%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 5% 7%
% Unknown Race 11% 0%

Students

Merrimack Wake Forest
% In-State 66% 14%
% Out-of-State 31% 77%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wake Forest University is larger than than Merrimack based on total student enrollment (8,963 students vs. 5,505 students)

Merrimack vs. Wake Forest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or Wake Forest?

  • Wake Forest University is 33.2% more expensive to attend than Merrimack for in-state tuition ($61,012.00 vs. $45,815.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.2% higher at Wake Forest than Merrimack College ($61,012.00 vs. $45,815.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wake Forest University than Merrimack ($26,197 vs. $37,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wake Forest University are 9.9% lower than costs at Merrimack College ($16,652 vs. $18,295)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Merrimack College than Wake Forest University (97% vs. 29%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 95.6% larger than aid received Merrimack College ($54,233 vs. $27,729)

Merrimack vs. Wake Forest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Merrimack has a higher acceptance rate (74.6%) than Wake Forest (21.4%)

Merrimack vs. Wake Forest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Merrimack or Wake Forest? 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 Wake Forest and Merrimack.

  • The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than Merrimack College (88% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $19,200 more per year than Merrimack graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $58,000)
  • Wake Forest University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Merrimack graduates. ($23,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Wake Forest graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Merrimack graduates. ($237 vs. $279)
  • More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Merrimack students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 78%)

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