Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at Merrimack

The average acceptance rate at Merrimack over the past 10 years is 78.70%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 70.02%. Compared to the previous year, it became slightly more competitive to gain admission to Merrimack in 2025. The acceptance rate at Merrimack is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.

The acceptance rate has decreased each year for the past 6 years, indicating increasing selectivity.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 12.77%, and the 2025 yield is 9.86%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 27.14% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of Merrimack applicants increased by 2.75% (377 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 81.52% overall.

Trends by Subject

Key Takeaways: Merrimack Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 70.02%, representing an increasingly selective admissions process. This indicates that Merrimack has become more competitive over the past decade, as the institution receives a growing number of applications while maintaining or reducing the number of admitted students.

Yield Rate & Enrollment Patterns

The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 9.86%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Merrimack. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.

Application Volume & Admission Trends

For the 2025 admission cycle, Merrimack received approximately 14,070 applications, admitted 9,852 students, and enrolled 971 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Merrimack is attracting an increasing number of prospective students over time. This growth in applications typically reflects enhanced institutional visibility, improved marketing initiatives, or increasing perceived value in the higher education market.

Acceptance Rate Changes

Merrimack 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Merrimack over the past decade show a consistent pattern of increasing selectivity, with the acceptance rate declining year-over-year for 6 consecutive years. The average acceptance rate over this period is 78.70%, while the most recent rate stands at 70.02%. This data reflects the institution's evolving competitiveness in the higher education admissions landscape.

For the most recent admission cycle (2025), the acceptance rate is 70.02%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 77.27% and for women is 80.36%.

The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at Merrimack have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 78.97% 74.82% 83.41%
2016-17 81.91%
2.94%
78.56%
3.74%
85.45%
2.04%
2017-18 81.54%
-0.37%
78.82%
0.26%
84.29%
-1.16%
2018-19 82.76%
1.23%
81.10%
2.27%
84.46%
0.18%
2019-20 81.90%
-0.86%
81.20%
0.10%
82.53%
-1.94%
2020-21 81.64%
-0.26%
80.55%
-0.64%
82.51%
-0.02%
2021-22 80.00%
-1.65%
79.99%
-0.56%
80.99%
-1.52%
2022-23 74.63%
-5.36%
74.91%
-5.08%
75.00%
-5.99%
2023-24 73.61%
-1.03%
74.09%
-0.82%
73.88%
-1.12%
2024-25 70.02%
-3.59%
68.66%
-5.44%
71.05%
-2.84%
Average 78.70% 77.27% 80.36%
Merrimack College Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

Merrimack has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 13.53% in 2015 to 9.86% in 2025, representing a 27.14% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 12.77%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Merrimack from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 27.14% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 13.53% 13.58% 13.48%
2016-17 14.94%
1.41%
15.38%
1.80%
14.51%
1.03%
2017-18 12.11%
-2.82%
12.79%
-2.59%
11.47%
-3.03%
2018-19 15.65%
3.54%
16.32%
3.53%
15.00%
3.53%
2019-20 14.77%
-0.88%
14.18%
-2.14%
15.28%
0.28%
2020-21 12.17%
-2.60%
13.28%
-0.90%
11.31%
-3.97%
2021-22 12.00%
-0.17%
12.01%
-1.27%
10.99%
-0.31%
2022-23 12.02%
0.02%
13.05%
1.04%
11.23%
0.24%
2023-24 10.63%
-1.39%
12.30%
-0.75%
9.35%
-1.88%
2024-25 9.86%
-0.77%
10.16%
-2.14%
9.63%
0.29%
Average 12.77% 13.30% 12.22%
Merrimack College enrollment rate trends chart showing historical yield changes from 2015 to 2025

Applicants, Admitted, and Enrolled Headcount Changes

Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 10,534, the average number of admitted is 8,210, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 1,030.

The number of Merrimack applicants increased by 2.75% (377 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 81.52% overall.

The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at Merrimack College from 2015 to 2025.

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 7,751 6,121 828
2016-17 8,214
5.97%
6,728
9.92%
1,005
21.38%
2017-18 8,656
5.38%
7,058
4.90%
855
-14.93%
2018-19 8,668
0.14%
7,174
1.64%
1,123
31.35%
2019-20 9,747
12.45%
7,983
11.28%
1,179
4.99%
2020-21 10,934
12.18%
8,927
11.83%
1,086
-7.89%
2021-22 10,429
-4.62%
8,343
-6.54%
1,001
-7.83%
2022-23 13,175
26.33%
9,833
17.86%
1,182
18.08%
2023-24 13,693
3.93%
10,079
2.50%
1,071
-9.39%
2024-25 14,070
2.75%
9,852
-2.25%
971
-9.34%
Average 10,534 8,210 1,030
Merrimack College - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares Merrimack College' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
Merrimack College73.61%70.02% -4.88%
Boston University11.11%10.85% 2.40%
Northeastern University5.22%5.65% -7.61%
Harvard University3.65%3.45% 5.80%
Boston College16.43%15.65% 4.98%
Tufts University11.49%10.13% 13.43%

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