USD vs. Merrimack

Comparable Facts

Compare University of San Diego in San Diego, CA with Merrimack College in North Andover, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of San Diego is larger than Merrimack based on total student enrollment (9,714 students vs. 5,862 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of San Diego is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); Merrimack College is in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting).
• University of San Diego is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of San Diego 13:1; Merrimack College 13:1.

USD vs. Merrimack Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD 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 University of San Diego than Merrimack ($37,918 vs. $38,504).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 7.5% lower than at Merrimack College ($19,918 vs. $21,525).
• University of San Diego is 10.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Merrimack (about $5,524 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $53,962.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10.2% higher at USD than at Merrimack College (about $5,524 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $53,962.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College than at University of San Diego (100% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 29.8% larger than aid received by Merrimack College students ($40,965 vs. $31,550).

USD vs. Merrimack Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, USD 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 USD.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: USD - Test-free; Merrimack - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: USD Dec 15, 2026; Merrimack Sep 1, 2026.
• Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.65 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Merrimack (3.3).
• Merrimack has a higher acceptance rate (70%) than USD (52.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.4% at USD vs. 9.9% at Merrimack.

USD vs. Merrimack Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for USD 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).

• University of San Diego's six-year graduation rate (75%) is higher than Merrimack College's (70%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $12,200 more per year than Merrimack graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $58,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of San Diego graduates have a $4,096 lower median loan debt than Merrimack graduates ($22,904 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, USD graduates have an estimated $43 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Merrimack graduates ($236 vs. $279).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Merrimack students, three years after graduation. (78% 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.