Bridgewater State vs. Montclair State University

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

Bridgewater State Montclair State University
Location Bridgewater, MA Montclair, NJ
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,550 22,570
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #643 #615
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bridgew.edu montclair.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bridgewater State Montclair State University
Tuition (In State) $910 $13,710
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $23,070
Room & Board $14,586 $16,822
Avg Net Price $16,230 $13,880
Avg Grant Aid $8,911 $11,743
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 78%

Admission

Bridgewater State Montclair State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,631 23,599
Admitted 7,698 20,629
Acceptance Rate 89.2% 87.4%
Enrolled % 20.5% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.21 3.3
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/27
SAT Range 1040/1230 940/1225
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 Montclair State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (17%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (17%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Bridgewater State Montclair State University
Graduation Rate 52% 62%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,700 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,590 $22,999
Median Loan Payment $254 $237

Diversity

Bridgewater State Montclair State University
% Men 4% 6%
% Women 11% 14%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 44%
% Black 9% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 25%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 9%

Students

Bridgewater State Montclair State University
% In-State 90% 94%
% Out-of-State 9% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Montclair State University is larger than than Bridgewater State based on total student enrollment (22,570 students vs. 9,550 students)

Bridgewater State vs. Montclair State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bridgewater State or Montclair State University?

  • Montclair State University is 1,406.6% more expensive to attend than Bridgewater State for in-state tuition ($13,710.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 227.2% higher at Montclair State University than Bridgewater State University ($23,070.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Montclair State University than Bridgewater State ($13,880 vs. $16,230)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater State University are 15.3% lower than costs at Montclair State University ($14,586 vs. $16,822)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Montclair State University than Bridgewater State University (78% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Montclair State University students is 31.8% larger than aid received Bridgewater State University ($11,743 vs. $8,911)

Bridgewater State vs. Montclair State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Montclair State University students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Bridgewater State (3.21)
  • Bridgewater State has a higher acceptance rate (89.2%) than Montclair State University (87.4%)

Bridgewater State vs. Montclair State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bridgewater State or Montclair State University? 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 Montclair State University and Bridgewater State.

  • The graduation rate at Montclair State University is higher than Bridgewater State University (62% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Montclair State University earn on average $5,400 more per year than Bridgewater State graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $45,700)
  • Montclair State University students graduate with a $1,591 lower median federal student loan debt than Bridgewater State graduates. ($22,999 vs. $24,590)
  • Montclair State University graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than Bridgewater State graduates. ($237 vs. $254)
  • More Montclair State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bridgewater State students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 64%)

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