Merrimack vs. WPI

Comparable Facts

Compare Merrimack College in North Andover, MA with Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute is larger than Merrimack based on total student enrollment (7,584 students vs. 5,862 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Merrimack College is located in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting); Worcester Polytechnic Institute is in Worcester, MA (Midsize City setting).
• Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Merrimack College 13:1; Worcester Polytechnic Institute 13:1.

Merrimack vs. WPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or WPI? 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 Merrimack College than WPI ($38,504 vs. $47,372).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are 14.6% lower than at Merrimack College ($18,386 vs. $21,525).
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 13% more expensive for in-state tuition than Merrimack (about $7,003 more per year; $60,965.00 vs. $53,962.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 13% higher at WPI than at Merrimack College (about $7,003 more per year; $60,965.00 vs. $53,962.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College as at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 0% larger than aid received by Worcester Polytechnic Institute students ($31,550 vs. $31,545).

Merrimack vs. WPI Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Merrimack - Test-free; WPI - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Merrimack Sep 1, 2026; WPI Feb 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman WPI students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Merrimack (3.3).
• Merrimack has a higher acceptance rate (70%) than WPI (60.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.9% at Merrimack vs. 18.1% at WPI.

Merrimack vs. WPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Merrimack and WPI? 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).

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute's six-year graduation rate (76%) is higher than Merrimack College's (70%).
• Graduates from Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn a median of about $24,700 more per year than Merrimack graduates about ten years after starting college ($82,700 vs. $58,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Merrimack graduates have the same median loan debt ($27,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Merrimack graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($279 vs. $279).
• More WPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Merrimack students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 78%)

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.