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North Andover, MA · Boston, MA
| Merrimack College | Suffolk University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $37,927/yr | $29,618/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $31,710/yr | $24,745/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $27,000 | $26,889 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $29,417/yr | $25,711/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $31,962/yr | $25,702/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $36,045/yr | $29,654/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $41,050/yr | $36,264/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $286/mo | $285/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $21,525/yr | $21,326/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $21,525/yr | $26,992/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,000/yr | $1,200/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,200/yr | $2,854/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $70,038/yr | $65,281/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $53,962/yr | $47,550/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $53,962/yr | $47,550/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 16% | 30% |
| Students taking federal loans | 60% | 55% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 70% | 82% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | No data reported | 1090–1300 |
| SAT average | No data reported | 1216 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | No data reported | 24–28 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 13,693 | 10,101 |
| Students accepted | 10,079 | 8,560 |
| Students who enrolled | 1,071 | 1,214 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 11% | 14% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | No data reported | 15% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | No data reported | 2% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 70% | 61% |
| Freshmen who come back | 79% | 75% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $75,584/yr | $67,506/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $52,191–$106,878 | $38,432–$99,147 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 69% | 65% |
| White students graduating | 73% | 65% |
| Black students graduating | 63% | 49% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 55% | 53% |
| Asian students graduating | 54% | 63% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $54,316/yr | $55,856/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 89% | 81% |
| Graduate on time | 63% | 49% |
| Pell students who graduate | 58% | 55% |
| First-gen students who finish | 69% | 60% |
| Low-income students who finish | 63% | 59% |
| Students who transfer out | 21% | 25% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $55,201/yr | $61,452/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 30% · Health Professions 16% · Family & Consumer Sciences 8% | Business, Management & Marketing 32% · Social Sciences 12% · Communication & Journalism 12% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 30% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 32% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Health Professions — 16% of degrees | Social Sciences — 12% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Family & Consumer Sciences — 8% of degrees | Communication & Journalism — 12% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 6% of degrees | Psychology — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Engineering — 6% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering — $79,659/yr | Business/Managerial Economics — $153,437/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 15% | 12% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 3,916 | 4,268 |
| Students per professor | 13 : 1 | 15 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 1,760 | 2,030 |
| Average professor pay | $12,316/mo | $12,891/mo |
| Full-time professors | 44% | 56% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | New England Commission on Higher Education | New England Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $102,956 | $62,281 |
| Setting | Suburb (large) | City (large) |
| Location | North Andover, MA | Boston, MA |
| Region | New England | New England |
| Founded | 1947 | 1906 |
| Public or private | Private (nonprofit) | Private (nonprofit) |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | Doctoral/Professional Universities |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 2% | 12% |
| Men | 46% | 36% |
| Women | 54% | 64% |
| White students | 75% | 49% |
| Black students | 4% | 9.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 12% | 16% |
| Asian students | 1.9% | 8.1% |
| Two or more races | 2.7% | 2.9% |
| Other / not reported | 3% | 2.1% |
| Special type | Religiously affiliated | None |
| First-generation students | 21% | 30% |
| Part-time students | 2.6% | 2.4% |
| Students age 25+ | 2.1% | 3.7% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $8,809/yr | $11,805/yr |
| Endowment | $86.9M | $252.0M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 2,826 | 1,440 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $11,232/yr | $16,378/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $8,763/yr | $3,982/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | 19 meals/week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic | No data reported |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | No |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | No |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | Yes |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | No | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FCS | NCAA Division III without football |
| Football team | Yes | No |
| Varsity teams | 28 | 16 |
| Student athletes | 696 | 353 |
| Athletic scholarships | $17.2M | $0 |
| Athletics budget | $31.7M | $4.1M |
| Athletics revenue | $31.7M | $4.1M |
| Recruiting spend | $268,412 | $5,483 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.