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Salem State University Framingham State University Westfield State University University of Massachusetts-Boston UMass Dartmouth Fitchburg State University of Massachusetts-Lowell UMass Curry College Worcester State University KSC University of Southern Maine| Bridgewater State University | Cairn University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Bridgewater State | Cairn | ||
| Location | Bridgewater, MA | Langhorne, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 9,550 | 1,056 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #643 | #703 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bridgew.edu | cairn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Bridgewater State | Cairn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $910 | $31,881 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $7,050 | $31,881 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,586 | $12,234 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,230 | $27,603 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,911 | $17,852 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 72% | 83% |
Admission |
Bridgewater State | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 8,631 | 505 | ||
| Admitted | 7,698 | 422 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 89.2% | 83.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 20.5% | 61.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.21 | 3.31 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/27 | 23/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1040/1230 | 1050/1260 | ||
| 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 | Feb 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Bridgewater State | Cairn | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Bridgewater State | Cairn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 52% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $45,700 | $37,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 64% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,590 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $254 | $279 |
Diversity |
Bridgewater State | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 9% | ||
| % Women | 11% | 10% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 78% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 9% | 14% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
Bridgewater State | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 90% | 60% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 9% | 36% | ||
Campus |
Bridgewater State | Cairn | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Bridgewater State University is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (9,550 students vs. 1,056 students)
Bridgewater State vs. Cairn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Bridgewater State or Cairn?
- Cairn University is 3,403.4% more expensive to attend than Bridgewater State for in-state tuition ($31,881.00 vs. $910.00)
- Out of state tuition is 352.2% higher at Cairn than Bridgewater State University ($31,881.00 vs. $7,050.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater State University than Cairn ($16,230 vs. $27,603)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 19.2% lower than costs at Bridgewater State University ($12,234 vs. $14,586)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than Bridgewater State University (83% vs. 72%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 100.3% larger than aid received Bridgewater State University ($17,852 vs. $8,911)
Bridgewater State vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Bridgewater State or Cairn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cairn or Bridgewater State .
- The average SAT score at Bridgewater State University (996) is 20 points higher than at Cairn (976)
- Incoming Bridgewater State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Cairn (21)
- Accepted freshman Cairn students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Bridgewater State (3.21)
- Bridgewater State has a higher acceptance rate (89.2%) than Cairn (83.6%)
Bridgewater State vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Bridgewater State or Cairn? 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 Cairn and Bridgewater State.
- The graduation rate at Cairn is higher than Bridgewater State University (63% vs. 52%)
- Graduates from Bridgewater State University earn on average $8,700 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($45,700 vs. $37,000)
- Bridgewater State University students graduate with a $2,410 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($24,590 vs. $27,000)
- Bridgewater State graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($254 vs. $279)
- More Cairn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bridgewater State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/