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Bridgewater, MA · Amherst, MA
| Bridgewater State University | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $16,383/yr | $22,383/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $10,007/yr | $10,164/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $24,286 | $22,763 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $11,579/yr | $10,456/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $13,559/yr | $12,932/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $16,904/yr | $18,964/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $21,176/yr | $30,793/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $257/mo | $241/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $15,247/yr | $16,710/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $15,247/yr | $16,710/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $2,200/yr | $1,200/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $3,845/yr | $1,440/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $26,160/yr | $34,549/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $11,808/yr | $17,772/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $17,948/yr | $40,449/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 32% | 20% |
| Students taking federal loans | 75% | 47% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 88% | 60% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1060–1263 | 1310–1500 |
| SAT average | 1180 | 1423 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 25–30 | 30–33 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | No data reported | English 29–35 · Math 27–33 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 8,631 | 50,424 |
| Students accepted | 7,698 | 29,129 |
| Students who enrolled | 1,580 | 5,286 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 21% | 18% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 11% | 27% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 1% | 4% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| Class rank | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Required |
| 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% | 83% |
| Freshmen who come back | 75% | 92% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $57,466/yr | $71,631/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $32,347–$78,949 | $43,210–$103,346 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 60% | 81% |
| White students graduating | 57% | 87% |
| Black students graduating | 41% | 71% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 40% | 76% |
| Asian students graduating | 76% | 82% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $46,673/yr | $60,347/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 78% | 82% |
| Graduate on time | 32% | 75% |
| Pell students who graduate | 48% | 74% |
| First-gen students who finish | 62% | 65% |
| Low-income students who finish | 57% | 59% |
| Students who transfer out | No data reported | 9.9% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $50,191/yr | $66,904/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Education 16% · Business, Management & Marketing 16% · Psychology 13% | Business, Management & Marketing 17% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 10% · Social Sciences 9% |
| Most popular program | Education — 16% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 17% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 16% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 10% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Psychology — 13% of degrees | Social Sciences — 9% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 7% of degrees | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Health Professions — 7% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 8% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Educational Administration and Supervision — $80,124/yr | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $128,746/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 9.6% | 28% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 7,829 | 23,671 |
| Students per professor | 17 : 1 | 17 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 1,457 | 7,806 |
| Average professor pay | $11,130/mo | $14,663/mo |
| Full-time professors | 100% | 81% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | New England Commission on Higher Education | New England Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $57,864 | $74,291 |
| Setting | Suburb (large) | City (small) |
| Location | Bridgewater, MA | Amherst, MA |
| Region | New England | New England |
| Founded | 1840 | 1863 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.7% | 7.6% |
| Men | 43% | 48% |
| Women | 57% | 52% |
| White students | 67% | 57% |
| Black students | 11% | 4.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 11% | 9.1% |
| Asian students | 2.4% | 14% |
| Two or more races | 7.4% | 4.7% |
| Other / not reported | 0.6% | 3.1% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 34% | 22% |
| Part-time students | 15% | 4.3% |
| Students age 25+ | 13% | 4.7% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $11,273/yr | $20,843/yr |
| Endowment | $76.4M | $579.7M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 3,301 | 14,465 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $9,678/yr | $8,154/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $4,908/yr | $7,283/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | Land-grant institution |
| 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 | 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 | Yes |
| 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 I-FBS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 18 | 17 |
| Student athletes | 392 | 611 |
| Athletic scholarships | $0 | $13.6M |
| Athletics budget | $3.2M | $57.7M |
| Athletics revenue | $3.2M | $57.7M |
| Recruiting spend | $7,884 | $1.2M |
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.