Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, Massachusetts · Public · 87.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 59/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Bridgewater State University scores 59/100 in the Below Average Value tier - solid for a regional state university. The strongest sub-scores are earnings premium (75/100) and payback period (67/100): graduates earn a meaningful 34.3% premium over Massachusetts high-school-only earners with a $57,466 median ten-year salary, and the payback period is 9.1 years. In-state tuition is $11,808 with net price after aid of $16,383 (net price exceeds tuition because room/board/fees push the published cost up). Four-year cost runs $65,532 against $24,286 median debt. Out-of-state students pay $17,948 tuition. The drags on the score are completion (53.4%, 46/100) and three-year repayment rate (72.2%, 46/100) - both indicators that a meaningful slice of entering students don't finish or struggle with loans early. Program-level data is rich (27 majors reported), and the spread is wide: computer science, accounting, chemistry, and special education produce $48-57K first-year earnings with C+ grades; psychology (309 graduates) and communications (135) produce $34-35K first-year earnings with D grades. With 7,829 enrolled, this is a sizable Massachusetts public regional where program choice and persistence drive most of the ROI variation. As of 2024-2025 Scorecard data, Bridgewater offers genuinely competitive in-state value.
Bridgewater State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,808/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $17,948/yr |
| Average net price | $16,383/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $65,532 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $57,466 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,286 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $257 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,829 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $11,808/year ($17,948/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $16,383/year, or roughly $65,532 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $10,007/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $21,176/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $24,286, which works out to about $257 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($37,500) and comes to 0.65, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $10,007 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,579 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,559 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,904 |
| $110,001+ | $21,176 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $10,007 per year, or roughly $40,000 over four years.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households in the $48,001-$75,000 range pay $13,559 annually, well below the school-wide $16,383 average. Over four years that's roughly $54,000 against $57,466 median ten-year earnings - the math comfortably works. This is the income bracket where Bridgewater is most clearly a good deal.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $21,176 per year, or about $85,000 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Bridgewater State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $51,939 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $64,178 | C |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $64,769 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $56,968 | D |
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $58,255 | D |
| Teacher Education | $51,523 | C |
| Accounting | $79,315 | C+ |
| Marketing | $39,871 | C |
| Social Work | $59,510 | C |
| Biology | $60,880 | C |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Psychology
Psychology is Bridgewater's largest program by far (309 graduates per year). First-year earnings of $35,718 rising to $51,939 by year four against $27,000 median debt yields a 0.756 ratio and a D grade. The enrollment volume in this lower-earning major is a structural drag on the school's overall ROI. Students should plan for graduate school or a clear vocational pivot before committing to a psychology bachelor's as terminal.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal justice produces 145 graduates with $43,735 first-year earnings climbing strongly to $64,178 by year four. The 0.610 debt-to-earnings ratio and C grade reflect typical CJ economics. Public-sector career paths (corrections, law enforcement, parole) often qualify for PSLF, which materially improves the real ROI. The four-year jump suggests Massachusetts public-safety careers reward tenure well.
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Management sciences produces 140 graduates with $45,720 first-year earnings rising to $64,769 by year four. Debt-to-earnings of 0.591 and C grade. The four-year growth suggests Bridgewater graduates land in the Boston-area employer ecosystem and accelerate well.
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific
Subject-specific teacher education produces 127 graduates with $38,216 first-year earnings rising to $58,255 by year four. The 0.707 ratio and D grade reflect teacher economics where starting pay is modest but growth and pension benefits are real. PSLF eligibility is essential to the real ROI for public school teachers; structure repayment around it from day one.
Computer Science
Computer science produces 47 graduates with $57,007 first-year earnings climbing to $87,099 by year four - the strongest combined first-year and four-year earnings at the school. Debt-to-earnings of 0.474 and C+ grade. This is Bridgewater's strongest pure ROI play; students who clear the technical bar see Boston-area tech employer demand and the math works clearly.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 68.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 72.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 67.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 73.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Bridgewater State University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 87.8% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 510-613 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 550-650 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 25-30 |
| Enrollment | 7,829 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 31.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,130 |
Bridgewater admits 87.8% of applicants with SAT mid-50% at 1060-1263 (510-613 math, 550-650 reading) and ACT composite 25-30. The admit rate signals broadly accessible admissions while the test ranges show a meaningful academic floor - this is not open admission.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater State University (this school) | 59 | $16,383 | $57,466 |
| Stockton University | 62 | $20,670 | $57,602 |
| Empire State University | 61 | $11,676 | $54,080 |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 60 | $13,297 | $53,390 |
| Fitchburg State University | 58 | $14,262 | $53,874 |
| Framingham State University | 51 | $16,114 | $52,349 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Bridgewater State University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Bridgewater fits Massachusetts residents seeking an affordable mid-sized public university experience (7,829 enrolled) with a strong teacher-prep tradition and growing pre-professional programs. The 31.9% Pell rate reflects a meaningful working-class student body. Outcomes are strongest for STEM, accounting, and education majors. The completion rate (53.4%) is the key persistence concern - students should commit to a clear graduation timeline and engage advising early. In-state value is strong.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Bridgewater State University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $16,383 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $57,466 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 9.1 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $24,286 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $37,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Bridgewater State University: Common Questions
Is Bridgewater State University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Bridgewater State University scores 59/100 on our ROI scale. At $16,383 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $57,466 ten years after entry, so it takes about 9.1 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Bridgewater State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $16,383 a year, or roughly $65,532 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Bridgewater State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $57,466 ten years after enrolling, roughly $15,666 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Bridgewater State University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 9.1 years for Bridgewater State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Bridgewater State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $24,286, against average earnings of $37,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Bridgewater State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 53.4%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.