Bridgewater State vs. Nichols

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

 Bridgewater State Nichols
Location Bridgewater, MA Dudley, MA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 9,604 1,403
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #674 #926
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bridgew.edu nichols.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bridgewater State Nichols
Tuition (In State) $910 $37,150
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $37,150
Room & Board $14,162 $14,110
Avg Net Price $17,225 $27,192
Avg Grant Aid $8,616 $26,515
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 100%

Admission

 Bridgewater State Nichols
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,807 2,358
Admitted 7,725 2,001
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 84.9%Open
Enrolled % 20.3% 15.8%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.21 2.9
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 1030/1210 945/1180
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 Nichols
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (17%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Business (75%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Education (2%)

Outcomes

 Bridgewater State Nichols
Graduation Rate 52% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,700 $51,800
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,590 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $254 $279

Diversity

 Bridgewater State Nichols
% Men 39% 63%
% Women 61% 37%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 81%
% Black 9% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Bridgewater State Nichols
% In-State 93% 57%
% Out-of-State 7% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bridgewater State University is larger than than Nichols based on total student enrollment (9,604 students vs. 1,403 students)

Bridgewater State vs. Nichols Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bridgewater State or Nichols?

  • Nichols College is 3,982.4% more expensive to attend than Bridgewater State for in-state tuition ($37,150.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 427% higher at Nichols than Bridgewater State University ($37,150.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater State University than Nichols ($17,225 vs. $27,192)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Nichols College are 0.4% lower than costs at Bridgewater State University ($14,110 vs. $14,162)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Nichols College than Bridgewater State University (100% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Nichols College students is 207.7% larger than aid received Bridgewater State University ($26,515 vs. $8,616)

Bridgewater State vs. Nichols Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Bridgewater State students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.21) than students at Nichols (2.9)
  • Bridgewater State has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Nichols (84.9%)

Bridgewater State vs. Nichols Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Bridgewater State is higher than Nichols College (52% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Nichols College earn on average $6,100 more per year than Bridgewater State graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $45,700)
  • Bridgewater State University students graduate with a $2,410 lower median federal student loan debt than Nichols graduates. ($24,590 vs. $27,000)
  • Bridgewater State graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Nichols graduates. ($254 vs. $279)
  • More Nichols graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bridgewater State students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 64%)

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