Bridgewater State vs. Emerson

Should I go to Bridgewater State University or Emerson College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bridgewater State or Emerson 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 State University vs. Emerson College comparison
Bridgewater State University Emerson College College 3 College 4
Bridgewater State University Emerson College
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Overview

Bridgewater State Emerson
Location Bridgewater, MA Boston, MA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 9,604 5,891
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #674 #235
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bridgew.edu emerson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bridgewater State Emerson
Tuition (In State) $910 $52,288
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $52,288
Room & Board $14,162 $19,528
Avg Net Price $17,225 $51,432
Avg Grant Aid $8,616 $24,360
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 78%

Admission

Bridgewater State Emerson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,807 12,109
Admitted 7,725 5,176
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 42.7%
Enrolled % 20.3% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.21 3.73
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 30/32
SAT Range 1030/1210 1250/1430
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, 2025 Feb 20, 2025

Academics

Bridgewater State Emerson
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (17%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Communication (33%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (29%)
  • English and Literature (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Health Professions (2%)

Outcomes

Bridgewater State Emerson
Graduation Rate 52% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,700 $49,200
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,590 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $254 $242

Diversity

Bridgewater State Emerson
% Men 39% 28%
% Women 61% 72%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 67%
% Black 9% 3%
% Hispanic 6% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Bridgewater State Emerson
% In-State 93% 14%
% Out-of-State 7% 69%

Campus

Bridgewater State Emerson
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 Emerson based on total student enrollment (9,604 students vs. 5,891 students)

Bridgewater State vs. Emerson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bridgewater State or Emerson?

  • Emerson College is 5,645.9% more expensive to attend than Bridgewater State for in-state tuition ($52,288.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 641.7% higher at Emerson than Bridgewater State University ($52,288.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater State University than Emerson ($17,225 vs. $51,432)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater State University are 37.9% lower than costs at Emerson College ($14,162 vs. $19,528)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater State University than Emerson College (82% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Emerson College students is 182.7% larger than aid received Bridgewater State University ($24,360 vs. $8,616)

Bridgewater State vs. Emerson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Emerson College (1211) is 215 points higher than at Bridgewater State (996)
  • Incoming Emerson students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Bridgewater State (22)
  • Accepted freshman Emerson students have a 0.52 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Bridgewater State (3.21)
  • Bridgewater State has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Emerson (42.7%)

Bridgewater State vs. Emerson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Emerson is higher than Bridgewater State University (81% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Emerson College earn on average $3,500 more per year than Bridgewater State graduates after ten years. ($49,200 vs. $45,700)
  • Emerson College students graduate with a $1,090 lower median federal student loan debt than Bridgewater State graduates. ($23,500 vs. $24,590)
  • Emerson graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Bridgewater State graduates. ($242 vs. $254)
  • More Emerson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bridgewater State students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 64%)

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