Merrimack College climbed to No. 25 among Regional Universities in the North in U.S. News & World Report's latest rankings, up from No. 45 five years ago.

The college announced the ranking Monday, Sept. 21, less than a month after opening Merrimack on Main, a new academic building at 305 N. Main St. in downtown Andover that houses its creative arts, design and architecture programs.

Merrimack also earned the No. 2 spot for Most Innovative Regional Universities in the North. The college reported a record number of undergraduate applications for the 2025-26 academic year, with significant growth from outside New England.

Merrimack President Christopher E. Hopey said in the announcement that affordability and innovation must go together, and that the college needs to create "real value for students and families" through lower costs, faster degree completion and hands-on learning.

More than 100 guests gathered at 305 N. Main St. on Aug. 26 for the ribbon-cutting of Merrimack on Main, as Andover News reported. The facility includes a computer lab, woodshop and sculpting studios.

The building first opened in 1921 as the Balmoral Spa, a recreation center for upper management of the American Woolen Company. Developer Sal Lupoli, CEO of Lupoli Companies, purchased it in 2020 and originally planned apartments. COVID-19 changed those plans. Merrimack now leases the space from Lupoli Companies.

"Something inside me said not to sell it. And then all of the sudden, I met Chris Hopey," Lupoli said at the Aug. 26 opening, according to Merrimack College's coverage of the event.

At the ceremony, Hopey projected the college would attract "about half a billion dollars in investment in our area" through an estimated 25 to 30 development projects in coming years, according to Andover News. State Sen. Barry Finegold and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr presented a citation commemorating the opening.

More than 70 percent of Merrimack students are enrolled in majors that did not exist at the college 15 years ago. New Bachelor of Arts degrees in humanities, government, and creative arts and design carry an annual tuition of $17,000.

The college's North Andover campus also added the Essex and Shawsheen residence halls and a new lecture hall. Beginning in 2027, students will be able to enroll in three-year, 96-credit bachelor's programs in business administration, criminal justice, psychology and communication. The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education approved the pilot.