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Bridgewater, MA · Salem, MA
| Bridgewater State University | Salem State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $16,383/yr | $15,996/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $10,007/yr | $10,516/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $24,286 | $25,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $11,579/yr | $13,870/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $13,559/yr | $13,821/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $16,904/yr | $17,590/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $21,176/yr | $23,223/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $257/mo | $265/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $15,247/yr | $16,838/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $15,247/yr | $12,100/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $2,200/yr | $1,200/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $3,845/yr | $1,784/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $26,160/yr | $28,291/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $11,808/yr | $12,338/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $17,948/yr | $19,531/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 32% | 35% |
| Students taking federal loans | 75% | 49% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 88% | 96% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1060–1263 | No data reported |
| SAT average | 1180 | No data reported |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 25–30 | No data reported |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 8,631 | 4,852 |
| Students accepted | 7,698 | 4,637 |
| Students who enrolled | 1,580 | 810 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 21% | 17% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 11% | 6% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 1% | No data reported |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| Recommendation letters | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| Class rank | Not considered | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| 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) | Not considered |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 53% | 50% |
| Freshmen who come back | 75% | 75% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $57,466/yr | $56,662/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $32,347–$78,949 | $29,605–$93,086 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 60% | 62% |
| White students graduating | 57% | 53% |
| Black students graduating | 41% | 48% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 40% | 42% |
| Asian students graduating | 76% | 59% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $46,673/yr | $48,209/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 78% | 73% |
| Graduate on time | 32% | 36% |
| Pell students who graduate | 48% | 47% |
| First-gen students who finish | 62% | 59% |
| Low-income students who finish | 57% | 53% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $50,191/yr | $54,540/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Education 16% · Business, Management & Marketing 16% · Psychology 13% | Health Professions 18% · Business, Management & Marketing 17% · Psychology 10% |
| Most popular program | Education — 16% of degrees | Health Professions — 18% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 16% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 17% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Psychology — 13% of degrees | Psychology — 10% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 7% of degrees | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Health Professions — 7% of degrees | Education — 8% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Educational Administration and Supervision — $80,124/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $107,751/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 9.6% | 13% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 7,829 | 4,291 |
| Students per professor | 17 : 1 | 12 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 1,457 | 1,363 |
| Average professor pay | $11,130/mo | $10,694/mo |
| Full-time professors | 100% | 100% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | New England Commission on Higher Education | New England Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $57,864 | $43,677 |
| Setting | Suburb (large) | Suburb (large) |
| Location | Bridgewater, MA | Salem, MA |
| Region | New England | New England |
| Founded | 1840 | 1854 |
| 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% | 3.7% |
| Men | 43% | 36% |
| Women | 57% | 64% |
| White students | 67% | 52% |
| Black students | 11% | 8.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 11% | 25% |
| Asian students | 2.4% | 3% |
| Two or more races | 7.4% | 3.8% |
| Other / not reported | 0.6% | 3.8% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 34% | 40% |
| Part-time students | 15% | 13% |
| Students age 25+ | 13% | 13% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $11,273/yr | $10,571/yr |
| Endowment | $76.4M | $69.6M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 3,301 | 1,675 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $9,678/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan charge | $4,908/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | Yes — Army, Air Force |
| 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 | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| 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 without football |
| Football team | Yes | No |
| Varsity teams | 18 | 15 |
| Student athletes | 392 | 290 |
| Athletic scholarships | $0 | $0 |
| Athletics budget | $3.2M | $1.5M |
| Athletics revenue | $3.2M | $1.5M |
| Recruiting spend | $7,884 | $2,237 |
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.