Merrimack vs. Paul Smith's College

Comparable Facts

Compare Merrimack College in North Andover, MA with Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science in Paul Smiths, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

Merrimack College is larger than Paul Smith's College based on total student enrollment (5,862 students vs. 948 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Merrimack College is located in North Andover, MA (Large Suburban setting); Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science is in Paul Smiths, NY (Distant Rural setting).
• Merrimack College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Merrimack College 13:1; Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science 12:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science are 33.9% lower than at Merrimack College ($14,236 vs. $21,525).
• Out-of-state tuition is 63.5% higher at Merrimack than at Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science (about $20,953 more per year; $53,962 vs. $33,009).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Merrimack College as at Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 37.3% larger than aid received by Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science students ($31,550 vs. $22,973).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both Merrimack and Paul Smith's College.
• Typical fall application deadline: Merrimack Sep 1, 2026.
• Enrolled first-year students at Merrimack average a 3.3 high school GPA, 0.5 higher than at Paul Smith's College (2.8).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.9% at Merrimack vs. 18.8% at Paul Smith's College.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Merrimack graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Paul Smith's College graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Merrimack graduates ($258 vs. $279).
• More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Paul Smith's College students, three years after graduation (78% vs. 70%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.