Franciscan vs. BC

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

 Franciscan BC
Location Steubenville, OH Bridgewater, VA
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 3,750 1,436
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #549 #603
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website franciscan.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Franciscan BC
Tuition (In State) $32,070 $40,300
Tuition (Out of State) $32,070 $40,300
Room & Board $9,540 $14,370
Avg Net Price $24,490 $19,660
Avg Grant Aid $18,561 $36,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

 Franciscan BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,265 3,984
Admitted 1,636 3,618
Acceptance Rate 72.2% 90.8%
Enrolled % 41.2% 11.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.78 3.61
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 28/29
SAT Range 1100/1290 1070/1375
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 May 1, 2026

Academics

 Franciscan BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (30%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Franciscan BC
Graduation Rate 70% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,800 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $279

Diversity

 Franciscan BC
% Men 9% 1%
% Women 11% 2%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 73%
% Black 1% 11%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 Franciscan BC
% In-State 17% 69%
% Out-of-State 82% 25%

Campus

 Franciscan BC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Franciscan University of Steubenville is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (3,750 students vs. 1,436 students)

Franciscan vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Franciscan or BC?

  • Bridgewater College is 25.7% more expensive to attend than Franciscan for in-state tuition ($40,300.00 vs. $32,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.7% higher at BC than Franciscan University of Steubenville ($40,300.00 vs. $32,070.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater College than Franciscan ($19,660 vs. $24,490)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Franciscan University of Steubenville are 50.6% lower than costs at Bridgewater College ($9,540 vs. $14,370)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College than Franciscan University of Steubenville (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 95.8% larger than aid received Franciscan University of Steubenville ($36,350 vs. $18,561)

Franciscan vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Franciscan University of Steubenville (1165) is 131 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming Franciscan students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at BC (24)
  • Accepted freshman Franciscan students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.78) than students at BC (3.61)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than Franciscan (72.2%)

Franciscan vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Franciscan or BC? 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 BC and Franciscan.

  • The graduation rate at Franciscan is higher than Bridgewater College (70% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Bridgewater College earn on average $3,300 more per year than Franciscan graduates after ten years. ($43,100 vs. $39,800)
  • Franciscan University of Steubenville students graduate with a $5,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($22,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Franciscan graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More Franciscan graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 77%)

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