CAU vs. Merrimack

Should I go to Clark Atlanta University or Merrimack College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CAU or Merrimack is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Clark Atlanta University vs. Merrimack College comparison
Clark Atlanta University Merrimack College College 3 College 4
Clark Atlanta University Merrimack College
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Overview

CAU Merrimack
Location Atlanta, GA North Andover, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,000 5,505
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #971
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cau.edu merrimack.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CAU Merrimack
Tuition (In State) $21,948 $45,815
Tuition (Out of State) $21,948 $45,815
Room & Board $10,982 $18,295
Avg Net Price $30,015 $37,296
Avg Grant Aid $9,431 $27,729
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 97%

Admission

CAU Merrimack
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,153 13,175
Admitted 9,088 9,833
Acceptance Rate 56.3% 74.6%
Enrolled % 12.7% 12%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.3
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/20
SAT Range 880/1120
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2024 Sep 1, 2023

Academics

CAU Merrimack
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (26%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

CAU Merrimack
Graduation Rate 41% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $58,000
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $320 $279

Diversity

CAU Merrimack
% Men 24% 43%
% Women 76% 57%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 73%
% Black 84% 3%
% Hispanic 0% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 1%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 13% 11%

Students

CAU Merrimack
% In-State 27% 66%
% Out-of-State 72% 31%

Campus

CAU Merrimack
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Merrimack College is larger than than CAU based on total student enrollment (5,505 students vs. 4,000 students)

CAU vs. Merrimack Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CAU or Merrimack?

  • Merrimack College is 108.7% more expensive to attend than CAU for in-state tuition ($45,815.00 vs. $21,948.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 108.7% higher at Merrimack than Clark Atlanta University ($45,815.00 vs. $21,948.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Clark Atlanta University than Merrimack ($30,015 vs. $37,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clark Atlanta University are 66.6% lower than costs at Merrimack College ($10,982 vs. $18,295)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Merrimack College than Clark Atlanta University (97% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 194% larger than aid received Clark Atlanta University ($27,729 vs. $9,431)

CAU vs. Merrimack Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CAU or Merrimack? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Merrimack or CAU .

  • Accepted freshman Merrimack students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at CAU (3.28)
  • Merrimack has a higher acceptance rate (74.6%) than CAU (56.3%)

CAU vs. Merrimack Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CAU 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 CAU.

  • The graduation rate at Merrimack is higher than Clark Atlanta University (70% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Merrimack College earn on average $19,600 more per year than CAU graduates after ten years. ($58,000 vs. $38,400)
  • Merrimack College students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CAU graduates. ($27,000 vs. $31,000)
  • Merrimack graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than CAU graduates. ($279 vs. $320)
  • More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CAU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 30%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/