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Fairfield University Marist College Quinnipiac Endicott College Stonehill College University of Bridgeport RIC Bryant University Assumption College Siena College Loyola University Maryland Salve Regina University| Sacred Heart University | Merrimack College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
SHU | Merrimack | ||
| Location | Fairfield, CT | North Andover, MA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 10,721 | 5,505 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | Roman Catholic | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sacredheart.edu | merrimack.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
SHU | Merrimack | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $46,310 | $45,815 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $46,310 | $45,815 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,520 | $18,295 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $45,280 | $37,296 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $19,484 | $27,729 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 97% |
Admission |
SHU | Merrimack | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,316 | 13,175 | ||
| Admitted | 8,750 | 9,833 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 65.7% | 74.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 20.3% | 12% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.55 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | 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, 2024 |
Academics |
SHU | Merrimack | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
SHU | Merrimack | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 70% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,700 | $58,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 76% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $279 |
Diversity |
SHU | Merrimack | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 35% | 43% | ||
| % Women | 65% | 57% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 71% | 73% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 1% | ||
| % International | 1% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 12% | 11% |
Students |
SHU | Merrimack | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 23% | 66% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 75% | 31% | ||
Campus |
SHU | Merrimack | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Sacred Heart University is larger than than Merrimack based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 5,505 students)
SHU vs. Merrimack Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, SHU or Merrimack?
- Sacred Heart University is 1.1% more expensive to attend than Merrimack for in-state tuition ($46,310.00 vs. $45,815.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.1% higher at SHU than Merrimack College ($46,310.00 vs. $45,815.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Merrimack College than SHU ($37,296 vs. $45,280)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacred Heart University are 4.4% lower than costs at Merrimack College ($17,520 vs. $18,295)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Sacred Heart University than Merrimack College (99% vs. 97%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 42.3% larger than aid received Sacred Heart University ($27,729 vs. $19,484)
SHU vs. Merrimack Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, SHU or Merrimack? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Merrimack or SHU .
- 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 (74.6%) than SHU (65.7%)
SHU vs. Merrimack Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, SHU or Merrimack? 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 Merrimack and SHU.
- The graduation rate at Merrimack is higher than Sacred Heart University (70% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn on average $1,700 more per year than Merrimack graduates after ten years. ($59,700 vs. $58,000)
- Sacred Heart University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Merrimack graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
- SHU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans 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/