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Endicott College Stonehill College Bryant University Assumption College Roger Williams University Quinnipiac SHU Saint Anselm College UMass Dartmouth Curry College Salve Regina University Southern New Hampshire University| Merrimack College | Penn State Lehigh Valley | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Merrimack | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
| Location | North Andover, MA | Center Valley, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 5,505 | 888 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | merrimack.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Merrimack | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $45,815 | $14,624 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $45,815 | $24,318 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,295 | $12,984 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $37,296 | $18,142 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $27,729 | $9,886 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 78% |
Admission |
Merrimack | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,175 | 1,806 | ||
| Admitted | 9,833 | 1,699 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.6% | 94.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12% | 15.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/26 | |||
| SAT Range | 1100/1290 | |||
| 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 |
Academics |
Merrimack | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Merrimack | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
| Graduation Rate | 70% | 47% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $58,000 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 78% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $277 |
Diversity |
Merrimack | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 43% | 57% | ||
| % Women | 57% | 43% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 73% | 64% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 16% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 2% | ||
| % International | 5% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 11% | 1% |
Students |
Merrimack | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 31% | 6% | ||
Campus |
Merrimack | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | No | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | No | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Merrimack College is larger than than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (5,505 students vs. 888 students)
Merrimack vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or Penn State Lehigh Valley?
- Merrimack College is 213.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State Lehigh Valley for in-state tuition ($45,815.00 vs. $14,624.00)
- Out of state tuition is 88.4% higher at Merrimack than Penn State Lehigh Valley ($45,815.00 vs. $24,318.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Merrimack ($18,142 vs. $37,296)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley are 40.9% lower than costs at Merrimack College ($12,984 vs. $18,295)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Merrimack College than Penn State Lehigh Valley (97% vs. 78%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 180.5% larger than aid received Penn State Lehigh Valley ($27,729 vs. $9,886)
Merrimack vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Merrimack or Penn State Lehigh Valley? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State Lehigh Valley or Merrimack .
- Accepted freshman Penn State Lehigh Valley students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Merrimack (3.3)
- Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than Merrimack (74.6%)
Merrimack vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Merrimack or Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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 Penn State Lehigh Valley and Merrimack.
- The graduation rate at Merrimack is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley (70% vs. 47%)
- Graduates from Merrimack College earn on average $2,700 more per year than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates after ten years. ($58,000 vs. $55,300)
- Penn State Lehigh Valley students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Merrimack graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
- Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Merrimack graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
- More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Lehigh Valley students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/