IPFW vs. Bridgewater State

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

 IPFW Bridgewater State
Location Fort Wayne, IN Bridgewater, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,069 9,604
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #848 #674
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ipfw.edu bridgew.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IPFW Bridgewater State
Tuition (In State) $7,815 $910
Tuition (Out of State) $20,403 $7,050
Room & Board $10,111 $14,162
Avg Net Price $11,951 $17,225
Avg Grant Aid $7,432 $8,616
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 82%

Admission

 IPFW Bridgewater State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,853 8,807
Admitted 4,721 7,725
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 87.7%
Enrolled % 25.6% 20.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.21
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 19/25
SAT Range 980/1210 1030/1210
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 Aug 1, 2025 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

 IPFW Bridgewater State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

 IPFW Bridgewater State
Graduation Rate 26% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,600 $45,700
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $24,590
Median Loan Payment $253 $254

Diversity

 IPFW Bridgewater State
% Men 48% 39%
% Women 52% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 78%
% Black 5% 9%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 IPFW Bridgewater State
% In-State 85% 93%
% Out-of-State 11% 7%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bridgewater State University is larger than than IPFW based on total student enrollment (9,604 students vs. 9,069 students)

IPFW vs. Bridgewater State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IPFW or Bridgewater State?

  • Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is 758.8% more expensive to attend than Bridgewater State for in-state tuition ($7,815.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 189.4% higher at IPFW than Bridgewater State University ($20,403.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than Bridgewater State ($11,951 vs. $17,225)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne are 40.1% lower than costs at Bridgewater State University ($10,111 vs. $14,162)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne than Bridgewater State University (100% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater State University students is 15.9% larger than aid received Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne ($8,616 vs. $7,432)

IPFW vs. Bridgewater State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bridgewater State University (996) is 1 points higher than at IPFW (995)
  • Incoming IPFW students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Bridgewater State (22)
  • Accepted freshman IPFW students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Bridgewater State (3.21)
  • Bridgewater State has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than IPFW (80.7%)

IPFW vs. Bridgewater State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Bridgewater State is higher than Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (52% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Bridgewater State University earn on average $7,100 more per year than IPFW graduates after ten years. ($45,700 vs. $38,600)
  • Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne students graduate with a $90 lower median federal student loan debt than Bridgewater State graduates. ($24,500 vs. $24,590)
  • IPFW graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Bridgewater State graduates. ($253 vs. $254)
  • More Bridgewater State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IPFW students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 51%)

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