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Bridgewater, MA · Fitchburg, MA
| Bridgewater State University | Fitchburg State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $16,383/yr | $14,262/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $10,007/yr | $10,204/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $24,286 | $24,239 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $11,579/yr | $11,199/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $13,559/yr | $11,540/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $16,904/yr | $15,571/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $21,176/yr | $21,123/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $257/mo | $257/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $15,247/yr | $15,452/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $15,247/yr | $10,648/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $2,200/yr | $1,500/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $3,845/yr | $2,100/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $26,160/yr | $25,555/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $11,808/yr | $11,346/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $17,948/yr | $17,426/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 32% | 33% |
| Students taking federal loans | 75% | 47% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 88% | 87% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1060–1263 | 1060–1230 |
| SAT average | 1180 | 1150 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 25–30 | No data reported |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 8,631 | 4,353 |
| Students accepted | 7,698 | 3,915 |
| Students who enrolled | 1,580 | 611 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 21% | 16% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 11% | 19% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 1% | 1% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Recommendation letters | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Not considered | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 53% | 55% |
| Freshmen who come back | 75% | 69% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $57,466/yr | $53,874/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $32,347–$78,949 | $36,940–$76,793 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 60% | 58% |
| White students graduating | 57% | 63% |
| Black students graduating | 41% | 40% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 40% | 36% |
| Asian students graduating | 76% | 46% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $46,673/yr | $41,999/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 78% | 77% |
| Graduate on time | 32% | 38% |
| Pell students who graduate | 48% | 47% |
| First-gen students who finish | 62% | 52% |
| Low-income students who finish | 57% | 49% |
| Students who transfer out | No data reported | 25% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $50,191/yr | $53,950/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Education 16% · Business, Management & Marketing 16% · Psychology 13% | Health Professions 19% · Business, Management & Marketing 16% · Visual & Performing Arts 12% |
| Most popular program | Education — 16% of degrees | Health Professions — 19% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 16% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 16% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Psychology — 13% of degrees | Visual & Performing Arts — 12% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 7% of degrees | Education — 9% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Health Professions — 7% of degrees | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Educational Administration and Supervision — $80,124/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $80,228/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 9.6% | 16% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 7,829 | 2,752 |
| Students per professor | 17 : 1 | 11 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 1,457 | 2,865 |
| Average professor pay | $11,130/mo | $10,973/mo |
| Full-time professors | 100% | 49% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | New England Commission on Higher Education | New England Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $57,864 | $56,249 |
| Setting | Suburb (large) | Suburb (midsize) |
| Location | Bridgewater, MA | Fitchburg, MA |
| Region | New England | New England |
| Founded | 1840 | 1894 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Men | 43% | 47% |
| Women | 57% | 53% |
| White students | 67% | 58% |
| Black students | 11% | 14% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 11% | 18% |
| Asian students | 2.4% | 3% |
| Two or more races | 7.4% | 3.6% |
| Other / not reported | 0.6% | 2% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 34% | 36% |
| Part-time students | 15% | 19% |
| Students age 25+ | 13% | 20% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $11,273/yr | $11,112/yr |
| Endowment | $76.4M | $26.8M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 3,301 | 1,705 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $9,678/yr | $7,648/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $4,908/yr | $4,160/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | 19 meals/week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | Yes — Army |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division III with football | NCAA Division III with football |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 18 | 17 |
| Student athletes | 392 | 363 |
| Athletic scholarships | $0 | $0 |
| Athletics budget | $3.2M | $2.2M |
| Athletics revenue | $3.2M | $2.2M |
| Recruiting spend | $7,884 | $8,244 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.