Fitchburg State vs. Nichols

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

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Fitchburg State University vs. Nichols College comparison
Fitchburg State University Nichols College College 3 College 4
Fitchburg State University Nichols College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Fitchburg State Nichols
Location Fitchburg, MA Dudley, MA
Setting Midsize Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,296 1,354
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #624 #905
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fitchburgstate.edu nichols.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Fitchburg State Nichols
Tuition (In State) $970 $38,825
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $38,825
Room & Board $14,225 $14,950
Avg Net Price $15,820 $31,032
Avg Grant Aid $8,717 $24,720
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 95%

Admission

Fitchburg State Nichols
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,353 2,117
Admitted 3,915 1,866
Acceptance Rate 89.9% 88.1%Open
Enrolled % 15.6% 17.8%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.29 2.9
Typical High School Grades B B-
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25
SAT Range 1030/1220 1000/1190
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

Academics

Fitchburg State Nichols
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (75%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Education (2%)

Outcomes

Fitchburg State Nichols
Graduation Rate 47% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,000 $51,800
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,685 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $234 $279

Diversity

Fitchburg State Nichols
% Men 16% 8%
% Women 34% 7%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 81%
% Black 9% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Fitchburg State Nichols
% In-State 87% 51%
% Out-of-State 12% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Fitchburg State University is larger than than Nichols based on total student enrollment (6,296 students vs. 1,354 students)

Fitchburg State vs. Nichols Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fitchburg State or Nichols?

  • Nichols College is 3,902.6% more expensive to attend than Fitchburg State for in-state tuition ($38,825.00 vs. $970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 450.7% higher at Nichols than Fitchburg State University ($38,825.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fitchburg State University than Nichols ($15,820 vs. $31,032)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fitchburg State University are 5.1% lower than costs at Nichols College ($14,225 vs. $14,950)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Nichols College than Fitchburg State University (95% vs. 84%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Nichols College students is 183.6% larger than aid received Fitchburg State University ($24,720 vs. $8,717)

Fitchburg State vs. Nichols Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Fitchburg State students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.29) than students at Nichols (2.9)
  • Fitchburg State has a higher acceptance rate (89.9%) than Nichols (88.1%)

Fitchburg State vs. Nichols Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fitchburg 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 Fitchburg State.

  • The graduation rate at Fitchburg State is higher than Nichols College (47% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Nichols College earn on average $7,800 more per year than Fitchburg State graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $44,000)
  • Fitchburg State University students graduate with a $4,315 lower median federal student loan debt than Nichols graduates. ($22,685 vs. $27,000)
  • Fitchburg State graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than Nichols graduates. ($234 vs. $279)
  • More Nichols graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fitchburg State students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 65%)

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