Merrillville, Indiana Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Merrillville, Indiana: median graduate debt $9,399 (-29.2% vs U.S.) 282 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 2 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 282 students
- Median net price: $20,847 (+109.1% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $9,399 (-29.2% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $14,211
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Overview
Colleges and universities in Merrillville serve students across Indiana with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 282 students enrolled in federal data. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Merrillville, Indiana and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Merrillville vs Indiana & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrillville, Indiana | N/A | $20,847 | $9,399 | N/A | 282 |
| Indiana (state median) | $6,518 | $9,763 | $16,666 | 54.0% | 309,065 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Merrillville, Indiana vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrillville, Indiana | N/A | N/A | N/A | — | — | N/A | N/A |
| Indiana (state median) | $51,943 | 91.8% | 75.6% | 4.6% | — | 72.5% | 0.45 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Indiana (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrillville, Indiana | N/A | $20,847 | $9,399 | N/A | 282 | N/A | N/A |
| Indianapolis | $15,072 | $21,602 | $13,000 | 55.8% | 85,998 | $56,978 | 92.6% |
| West Lafayette | $10,046 | $11,185 | $22,789 | 66.5% | 75,331 | $72,424 | 93.0% |
| Bloomington | $8,649 | $19,058 | $10,727 | 80.2% | 37,915 | $63,742 | 92.5% |
| Bloomington | $8,649 | $19,058 | $10,727 | 80.2% | 37,915 | $63,742 | 92.5% |
| Muncie | $8,118 | $17,113 | $10,114 | 62.3% | 14,051 | $51,833 | 94.4% |
| Fort Wayne | $10,329 | $19,592 | $20,500 | 42.0% | 11,584 | $47,327 | 89.3% |
| Notre Dame | $53,230 | $26,728 | $24,000 | 72.9% | 10,915 | $59,354 | 92.5% |
| Marion | $8,208 | $19,882 | $24,250 | 50.8% | 8,630 | $59,986 | 91.8% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Student debt: Merrillville, Indiana vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Merrillville, Indiana is $9,399 (-29.2% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $14,211.
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Median graduate debt is $9,399 (-29.2% below the U.S. median of $13,271). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Merrillville?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in Merrillville, Indiana with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Merrillville?
Median in-state tuition in Merrillville is N/A and median net price is $20,847. For Indiana overall, medians are $6,518 and $9,763; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Merrillville?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Merrillville is N/A vs $51,943 for Indiana and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Merrillville colleges?
Median completer debt in Merrillville is $9,399 vs $16,666 for Indiana and $13,271 nationally.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Merrillville?
Among 2 campuses in Merrillville, Indiana, 1 campus with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Denmark College.
Sources & related
- Indiana college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON