Merrimack College
- Graduation Rate
- 71% B
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $75,584 A
- Top 5% nationally — exceptional earning power
- Net Price
- $37,927 F
- 121% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 70% C+
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 15.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $15.8 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $15.8 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $2,251,200.
What The Data Says
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A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduates earn 85% more than the national college median.
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Every $1 invested returns $15.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Merrimack College Matters
Merrimack College is a private university in North Andover, MA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 5% of all U.S. colleges.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private University
- Carnegie Class
- Master's University
- Enrollment
- 3,916
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- 30
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Criminal Justice, Engineering
Why students choose Merrimack College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 70% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $37,927 a year after grants and scholarships — 121% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $75,584 ten years after enrolling — 85% above the typical college, against $27,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 0.8% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 88% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.84 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
At Merrimack College, you’ll find a welcoming community of nearly 4,000 students who are driven to succeed in fields like Business and Marketing, Health Professions, Criminal Justice, Engineering, and Psychology. With an acceptance rate of 70%, this school is accessible for many students, especially those looking for a supportive environment where they can explore their passions and develop practical skills. The focus here is on real-world applications, helping students connect their studies to future careers.
Looking ahead, graduates of Merrimack can expect substantial earning potential, with a 10-year post-graduation income averaging $75,584. This figure highlights the value of a degree from this institution in terms of career opportunities. Although 16% of students rely on Pell Grants, which shows that some financial aid is available, it also indicates that a segment of the student body may come from lower-income backgrounds. This mix of affordability and potential for upward mobility makes Merrimack a solid choice for students who are ready to work hard and pursue their ambitions.
When it comes to the bottom line, the net price after aid stands at $37,927, with a median debt of $27,000 for graduates. This level of debt is manageable compared to the earning potential, especially for those who thrive in the programs offered. Students who do well here are often those who are committed, resourceful, and ready to engage with both their studies and the broader community. Merrimack College supports a diverse group of learners, making it a fitting option for many aspiring professionals.
Rankings
- #14 Best MBA Programs for Healthcare Management
- #15 Best Engineering Colleges in Massachusetts
- #17 Best MBA Programs for Strategic Management
- #18 Best Business Colleges in Massachusetts
- #20 Highest-Paying Colleges for Criminal Justice
- #21 Best Communications Colleges in Massachusetts
- #21 Best MBA Programs in Massachusetts
- #25 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Massachusetts
Can I Get In?
How selective Merrimack College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Merrimack College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in North Andover, Massachusetts, Merrimack College admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 70%. The graduation rate is roughly 71%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 70%
- Retention Rate
- 79%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 44%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $12,316
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 13:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.43
- First-Gen Students
- 21%
- Applicants
- 13,175
- Admitted
- 9,833
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Merrimack College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Merrimack College is $53,962, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $37,927. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $31,710 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $53,962
- Out-of-State
- $53,962
- Avg Net Price
- $37,927
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 16%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 60%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $31,710
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $29,417
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $31,962
- Family Income $110K+
- $41,050
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Merrimack College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Merrimack College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Merrimack College earn a median of $75,584, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $54,316
- 8 Years
- $55,201
- 10 Years
- $75,584
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.36x
- Earning > $25K
- 84%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (589)
- 69%
- 100% (589)
- 69%
- 100% (589)
- 69%
- 100% (589)
- 69%
How Merrimack Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Merrimack College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Merrimack College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $37,927/year ($151,708 total). Graduates earn $75,584 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $2,402,908 in total earnings — a net gain of $2,251,200 (15.8× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 71% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $151,708
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $2,402,908
- Net Return
- $2,251,200
- ROI Multiple
- 15.8×
- Cost Per Year
- $37,927
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 71%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Merrimack College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Merrimack College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.78%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 2.9% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 26.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $109,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 0.78%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 26.9%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 2.9%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $149,044
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-8,458,912
Top Programs
The fields Merrimack College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 30% $52,669 early-career
- Health Professions 16% $36,823 early-career
- Criminal Justice 6% $29,935 early-career
- Engineering 6% $84,842 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 5% $45,038 early-career
- Psychology 5% $42,942 early-career
- Communications 5% $45,495 early-career
- Humanities 4%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Merrimack College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Merrimack College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in North Andover, Massachusetts, Merrimack College admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 70%. The graduation rate is roughly 71%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Merrimack College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Merrimack College is $53,962, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $37,927. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $31,710 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
Is Merrimack College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Merrimack College earn a median of $75,584, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.
Does Merrimack College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Merrimack College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.78%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is narrower: only about 2.9% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 26.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $109,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Merrimack College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Merrimack College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Merrimack College.
- Siena UniversityLoudonville, NY · Close peer75% grad $76,079 earn 69% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Thomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · Close peer68% grad $77,449 earn 81% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-PrescottPrescott, AZ · Close peer69% grad $84,131 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar size
- Duquesne UniversityPittsburgh, PA · Close peer77% grad $74,742 earn 84% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Roger Williams UniversityBristol, RI · Close peer68% grad $70,266 earn 88% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Seattle UniversitySeattle, WA · Close peer74% grad $75,272 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Merrimack College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Merrimack College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note