Bridgewater State vs. Fitchburg State

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

 Bridgewater State Fitchburg State
Location Bridgewater, MA Fitchburg, MA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 9,604 6,554
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #674 #549
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bridgew.edu fitchburgstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bridgewater State Fitchburg State
Tuition (In State) $910 $970
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $7,050
Room & Board $14,162 $13,516
Avg Net Price $17,225 $15,535
Avg Grant Aid $8,616 $7,093
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 76%

Admission

 Bridgewater State Fitchburg State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,807 3,084
Admitted 7,725 2,654
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 86.1%
Enrolled % 20.3% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.21 3.29
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 22/28
SAT Range 1030/1210 1020/1220
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

Academics

 Bridgewater State Fitchburg State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (17%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

 Bridgewater State Fitchburg State
Graduation Rate 52% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,700 $44,000
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,590 $22,685
Median Loan Payment $254 $234

Diversity

 Bridgewater State Fitchburg State
% Men 39% 38%
% Women 61% 62%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 73%
% Black 9% 9%
% Hispanic 6% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Bridgewater State Fitchburg State
% In-State 93% 90%
% Out-of-State 7% 10%

Campus

 Bridgewater State Fitchburg State
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 Fitchburg State based on total student enrollment (9,604 students vs. 6,554 students)

Bridgewater State vs. Fitchburg State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bridgewater State or Fitchburg State?

  • Fitchburg State University is 6.6% more expensive to attend than Bridgewater State for in-state tuition ($970.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at Bridgewater State as Fitchburg State University ($7,050.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fitchburg State University than Bridgewater State ($15,535 vs. $17,225)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fitchburg State University are 4.8% lower than costs at Bridgewater State University ($13,516 vs. $14,162)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater State University than Fitchburg State University (82% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater State University students is 21.5% larger than aid received Fitchburg State University ($8,616 vs. $7,093)

Bridgewater State vs. Fitchburg State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bridgewater State University (996) is 3 points higher than at Fitchburg State (993)
  • Incoming Bridgewater State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Fitchburg State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Fitchburg State students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.29) than students at Bridgewater State (3.21)
  • Bridgewater State has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Fitchburg State (86.1%)

Bridgewater State vs. Fitchburg State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bridgewater State or Fitchburg 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 Fitchburg State and Bridgewater State.

  • The graduation rate at Bridgewater State is higher than Fitchburg State University (52% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Bridgewater State University earn on average $1,700 more per year than Fitchburg State graduates after ten years. ($45,700 vs. $44,000)
  • Fitchburg State University students graduate with a $1,905 lower median federal student loan debt than Bridgewater State graduates. ($22,685 vs. $24,590)
  • Fitchburg State graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Bridgewater State graduates. ($234 vs. $254)
  • More Fitchburg State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bridgewater State students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 64%)

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