SHU vs. Merrimack

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT with Merrimack College in North Andover, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacred Heart University is larger than Merrimack based on total student enrollment (11,022 students vs. 5,862 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacred Heart University is located in Fairfield, CT (Large Suburban setting); Merrimack College is in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting).
• Sacred Heart University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacred Heart University 15:1; Merrimack College 13:1.

SHU vs. Merrimack Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or Merrimack? 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 SHU ($38,504 vs. $47,848).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacred Heart University are 11.1% lower than at Merrimack College ($19,140 vs. $21,525).
• Merrimack College is 7.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than SHU (about $3,558 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $50,404.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 7.1% higher at Merrimack than at Sacred Heart University (about $3,558 more per year; $53,962.00 vs. $50,404.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College than at Sacred Heart University (100% vs. 99%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 45.9% larger than aid received by Sacred Heart University students ($31,550 vs. $21,625).

SHU vs. Merrimack Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SHU - Test-free; Merrimack - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Merrimack Sep 1, 2026.
• Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Merrimack (3.3).
• Merrimack has a higher acceptance rate (70%) than SHU (65.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at SHU vs. 9.9% at Merrimack.

SHU vs. Merrimack Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SHU and Merrimack? 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).

• Merrimack College's six-year graduation rate (70%) is higher than Sacred Heart University's (68%).
• Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn a median of about $1,700 more per year than Merrimack graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,700 vs. $58,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sacred Heart University graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Merrimack graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, SHU graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Merrimack graduates ($258 vs. $279).
• More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 76%)

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.