Purchase College vs. BC

Should I go to SUNY at Purchase College or Bridgewater College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Purchase College 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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SUNY at Purchase College vs. Bridgewater College comparison
SUNY at Purchase College Bridgewater College College 3 College 4
SUNY at Purchase College Bridgewater College
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Overview

 Purchase College BC
Location Purchase, NY Bridgewater, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small Suburban
Enrollment 3,229 1,436
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #297 #603
Religious Affiliation - Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Purchase College BC
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $40,300
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $40,300
Room & Board $15,400 $14,370
Avg Net Price $18,651 $19,660
Avg Grant Aid $9,627 $36,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 100%

Admission

 Purchase College BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,221 3,984
Admitted 5,259 3,618
Acceptance Rate 72.8% 90.8%
Enrolled % 14.8% 11.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 28/29
SAT Range 1178/1363 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 Jul 1, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

 Purchase College BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Purchase College BC
Graduation Rate 56% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $279

Diversity

 Purchase College BC
% Men 1% 1%
% Women 1% 2%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 73%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 18% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 7% 4%

Students

 Purchase College BC
% In-State 78% 69%
% Out-of-State 21% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY at Purchase College is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (3,229 students vs. 1,436 students)

Purchase College vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or BC?

  • Bridgewater College is 470% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($40,300.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 137.3% higher at BC than SUNY at Purchase College ($40,300.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than BC ($18,651 vs. $19,660)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater College are 7.2% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($14,370 vs. $15,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College than SUNY at Purchase College (100% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 277.6% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($36,350 vs. $9,627)

Purchase College vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Purchase College (1082) is 48 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at BC (24)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than Purchase College (72.8%)

Purchase College vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College 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 Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (59% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Bridgewater College earn on average $2,900 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($43,100 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 65%)

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