Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Endicott College Stonehill College Bard College Bryant University Assumption College Roger Williams University Quinnipiac SHU Hampshire College Saint Anselm College UMass Dartmouth Curry College| Merrimack College | Bennington College | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Merrimack | Bennington | ||
| Location | North Andover, MA | Bennington, VT | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 5,505 | 880 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | merrimack.edu | bennington.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Merrimack | Bennington | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $45,815 | $60,648 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $45,815 | $60,648 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,295 | $17,720 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $37,296 | $32,497 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $27,729 | $49,183 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 98% |
Admission |
Merrimack | Bennington | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,175 | 2,801 | ||
| Admitted | 9,833 | 1,269 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.6% | 45.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12% | 17.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.51 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 29/33 | |||
| SAT Range | 1260/1370 | |||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Sep 1, 2023 | Jan 15, 2024 |
Academics |
Merrimack | Bennington | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 9:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Merrimack | Bennington | ||
| Graduation Rate | 70% | 67% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $58,000 | $31,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 78% | 77% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $26,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $268 |
Diversity |
Merrimack | Bennington | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 43% | 31% | ||
| % Women | 57% | 69% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 73% | 65% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 5% | ||
| % International | 5% | 13% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 11% | 5% |
Students |
Merrimack | Bennington | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 2% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 31% | 87% | ||
Campus |
Merrimack | Bennington | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Merrimack College is larger than than Bennington based on total student enrollment (5,505 students vs. 880 students)
Merrimack vs. Bennington Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or Bennington?
- Bennington College is 32.4% more expensive to attend than Merrimack for in-state tuition ($60,648.00 vs. $45,815.00)
- Out of state tuition is 32.4% higher at Bennington than Merrimack College ($60,648.00 vs. $45,815.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bennington College than Merrimack ($32,497 vs. $37,296)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bennington College are 3.2% lower than costs at Merrimack College ($17,720 vs. $18,295)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Bennington College than Merrimack College (98% vs. 97%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Bennington College students is 77.4% larger than aid received Merrimack College ($49,183 vs. $27,729)
Merrimack vs. Bennington Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Merrimack or Bennington? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Bennington or Merrimack .
- Accepted freshman Bennington students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Merrimack (3.3)
- Merrimack has a higher acceptance rate (74.6%) than Bennington (45.3%)
Merrimack vs. Bennington Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Merrimack or Bennington? 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 Bennington and Merrimack.
- The graduation rate at Merrimack is higher than Bennington College (70% vs. 67%)
- Graduates from Merrimack College earn on average $26,300 more per year than Bennington graduates after ten years. ($58,000 vs. $31,700)
- Bennington College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Merrimack graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
- Bennington graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Merrimack graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
- More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bennington students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 77%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/