Bridgewater State vs. Salem State University

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

Bridgewater State Salem State University
Location Bridgewater, MA Salem, MA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,604 6,539
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #674 #733
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bridgew.edu salemstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bridgewater State Salem State University
Tuition (In State) $910 $910
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $7,050
Room & Board $14,162 $14,954
Avg Net Price $17,225 $19,277
Avg Grant Aid $8,616 $8,562
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 99%

Admission

Bridgewater State Salem State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,807 5,093
Admitted 7,725 4,719
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 92.7%
Enrolled % 20.3% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.21 3.17
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 1030/1210 986/1210
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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

Bridgewater State Salem State University
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%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

Bridgewater State Salem State University
Graduation Rate 52% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,700 $44,400
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,590 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $254 $248

Diversity

Bridgewater State Salem State University
% Men 39% 31%
% Women 61% 69%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 68%
% Black 9% 9%
% Hispanic 6% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Bridgewater State Salem State University
% In-State 93% 90%
% Out-of-State 7% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bridgewater State University is larger than than Salem State University based on total student enrollment (9,604 students vs. 6,539 students)

Bridgewater State vs. Salem State University Cost Comparison

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

  • Bridgewater State University and Salem State University cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($910.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at Bridgewater State as Salem State University ($7,050.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater State University than Salem State University ($17,225 vs. $19,277)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater State University are 5.6% lower than costs at Salem State University ($14,162 vs. $14,954)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Salem State University than Bridgewater State University (99% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater State University students is 0.6% larger than aid received Salem State University ($8,616 vs. $8,562)

Bridgewater State vs. Salem State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Bridgewater State students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.21) than students at Salem State University (3.17)
  • Salem State University has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than Bridgewater State (87.7%)

Bridgewater State vs. Salem State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bridgewater State or Salem 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 Salem State University and Bridgewater State.

  • The graduation rate at Bridgewater State is higher than Salem State University (52% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Bridgewater State University earn on average $1,300 more per year than Salem State University graduates after ten years. ($45,700 vs. $44,400)
  • Salem State University students graduate with a $590 lower median federal student loan debt than Bridgewater State graduates. ($24,000 vs. $24,590)
  • Salem State University graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Bridgewater State graduates. ($248 vs. $254)
  • More Bridgewater State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Salem State University students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 63%)

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