BC vs. WLC

Should I go to Bridgewater College or Wisconsin Lutheran College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BC or WLC 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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Bridgewater College vs. Wisconsin Lutheran College comparison
Bridgewater College Wisconsin Lutheran College College 3 College 4
Bridgewater College Wisconsin Lutheran College
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Overview

BC WLC
Location Bridgewater, VA Milwaukee, WI
Setting Small Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,421 1,086
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #676 #532
Religious Affiliation Church of Brethren Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bridgewater.edu wlc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC WLC
Tuition (In State) $38,800 $33,210
Tuition (Out of State) $38,800 $33,210
Room & Board $13,830 $11,380
Avg Net Price $19,332 $22,682
Avg Grant Aid $34,142 $23,128
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

BC WLC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,402 1,474
Admitted 3,074 1,383
Acceptance Rate 90.4% 93.8%
Enrolled % 13.7% 22.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 22/27
SAT Range 1020/1230 1038/1243
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

BC WLC
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

BC WLC
Graduation Rate 59% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,100 $43,000
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

BC WLC
% Men 48% 44%
% Women 52% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 83%
% Black 11% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

BC WLC
% In-State 73% 66%
% Out-of-State 24% 33%

Campus

BC WLC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bridgewater College is larger than than WLC based on total student enrollment (1,421 students vs. 1,086 students)

BC vs. WLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or WLC?

  • Bridgewater College is 16.8% more expensive to attend than WLC for in-state tuition ($38,800.00 vs. $33,210.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.8% higher at BC than Wisconsin Lutheran College ($38,800.00 vs. $33,210.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater College than WLC ($19,332 vs. $22,682)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wisconsin Lutheran College are 21.5% lower than costs at Bridgewater College ($11,380 vs. $13,830)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College as Wisconsin Lutheran College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 47.6% larger than aid received Wisconsin Lutheran College ($34,142 vs. $23,128)

BC vs. WLC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wisconsin Lutheran College (1101) is 67 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming BC students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at WLC (24)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at WLC (3.54)
  • WLC has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than BC (90.4%)

BC vs. WLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BC or WLC? 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 WLC and BC.

  • The graduation rate at WLC is higher than Bridgewater College (63% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Bridgewater College earn on average $100 more per year than WLC graduates after ten years. ($43,100 vs. $43,000)
  • Wisconsin Lutheran College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • WLC graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More WLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BC students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 77%)

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