Amherst vs. Bridgewater State

Should I go to Amherst College or Bridgewater State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Amherst or Bridgewater State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Amherst College vs. Bridgewater State University comparison
Amherst College Bridgewater State University College 3 College 4
Amherst College Bridgewater State University
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Overview

 Amherst Bridgewater State
Location Amherst, MA Bridgewater, MA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,910 9,550
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #643
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu bridgew.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Amherst Bridgewater State
Tuition (In State) $66,650 $910
Tuition (Out of State) $66,650 $7,050
Room & Board $17,560 $14,586
Avg Net Price $17,965 $16,230
Avg Grant Aid $65,623 $8,911
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 72%

Admission

 Amherst Bridgewater State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,727 8,631
Admitted 1,250 7,698
Acceptance Rate 9.8% 89.2%
Enrolled % 39% 20.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.21
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Elite Average
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 31/35 18/27
SAT Range 1360/1550 1040/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 2, 2026 Feb 15, 2026

Academics

 Amherst Bridgewater State
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

 Amherst Bridgewater State
Graduation Rate 96% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $45,700
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $24,590
Median Loan Payment $134 $254

Diversity

 Amherst Bridgewater State
% Men 0% 4%
% Women 0% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 78%
% Black 12% 9%
% Hispanic 13% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Amherst Bridgewater State
% In-State 9% 90%
% Out-of-State 77% 9%

Campus

 Amherst Bridgewater State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bridgewater State University is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (9,550 students vs. 1,910 students)

Amherst vs. Bridgewater State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Bridgewater State?

  • Amherst College is 7,224.2% more expensive to attend than Bridgewater State for in-state tuition ($66,650.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 845.4% higher at Amherst than Bridgewater State University ($66,650.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater State University than Amherst ($16,230 vs. $17,965)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater State University are 20.4% lower than costs at Amherst College ($14,586 vs. $17,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater State University than Amherst College (72% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 636.4% larger than aid received Bridgewater State University ($65,623 vs. $8,911)

Amherst vs. Bridgewater State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or Bridgewater State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Bridgewater State or Amherst .

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 455 points higher than at Bridgewater State (996)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 11 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Bridgewater State (22)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.7 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Bridgewater State (3.21)
  • Bridgewater State has a higher acceptance rate (89.2%) than Amherst (9.8%)

Amherst vs. Bridgewater State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or Bridgewater State? 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 Bridgewater State and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Bridgewater State University (96% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $36,300 more per year than Bridgewater State graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $45,700)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $11,615 lower median federal student loan debt than Bridgewater State graduates. ($12,975 vs. $24,590)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $120 less per month on federal student loans than Bridgewater State graduates. ($134 vs. $254)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bridgewater State students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 64%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/