University of Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut · Private Nonprofit · 83.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 27/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Bridgeport scores 27 in the Below Benchmark tier. The school sits in a difficult position: a Connecticut private with a 41.2% completion rate (sub-score 23), $35,760 sticker tuition, and a net price of $27,807, putting total four-year cost near $111,228. Average earnings six years after entry are $35,600 and climb to a median $50,323 by year ten, which yields an earnings premium of only 13.8% over a typical high-school graduate. The Scorecard payback period is 16.4 years. Median debt of $25,750 against $35,600 in early-career earnings produces a 0.723 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 24), and the 62% three-year repayment rate (sub-score 21) signals real default and forbearance risk. Bridgeport's saving grace is its strong allied health programs: nursing and dental services are the only ROI bright spots. Outside those tracks, the school's broader undergraduate population struggles, which is what pulls the overall score down. This is essentially a health-careers institution carrying a struggling traditional undergraduate program.
How University of Bridgeport scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score27/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period16.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
University of Bridgeport
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $35,760/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $35,760/yr |
| Average net price | $27,807/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $111,228 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $50,323 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $273 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 41.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,534 |
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: $35,760/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $27,807/year, or roughly $111,228 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 $27,238/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $29,733/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,750, which works out to about $273 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($35,600) and comes to 0.72, 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 | $27,238 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $28,124 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $26,062 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,487 |
| $110,001+ | $29,733 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 are quoted $27,238 net per year, about $108,952 over four years. That is a heavy lift even with maximum Pell, and with 53% Pell enrollment, this is the modal student. The $25,750 median debt suggests families are bridging the gap with Stafford plus parent loans, which is why repayment outcomes are weak.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The middle brackets show a mild inversion to flag: $48,001-75,000 pays $26,062, which is less than the $30,001-48,000 bracket at $28,124. The dip is likely a small-sample artifact rather than intentional aid policy. Across the $48,001-110,000 range, families pay $26,000-$28,000 net, roughly $104,000-$110,000 over four years.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $29,733 per year, putting four-year cost at $118,932. The price gap between top and bottom brackets is only about $2,500/year, which means aid scaling is essentially flat - the school is not meaningfully discounting for low-income students relative to high-income ones. That is a notable equity issue given the 53% Pell enrollment.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Bridgeport with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $123,148 | B+ |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $56,700 | D |
| Psychology | $55,958 | D |
| Dental Support Services | $74,822 | B |
| Health Professions, Residency Programs | $53,404 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $49,978 | D |
| Accounting | $68,559 | - |
| Design and Applied Arts | $47,973 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $20,654 | F |
| Social Sciences, General | $47,108 | - |
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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is the standout program: 133 graduates with $89,752 first-year earnings, $123,148 by year four, $31,000 of debt, and a 0.345 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B+ grade. For prospective nursing students, this program changes the entire ROI math of attending Bridgeport.
Dental Support Services
Dental Support Services graduates 30 students earning $65,025 in year one and $74,822 by year four. Debt is $26,000 and debt-to-earnings is 0.4 for a B grade. This is another genuinely strong allied-health pathway with clear technical-licensure value, and combined with nursing, defines what this school actually does well.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts graduates 39 students earning $43,743 in year one and $56,700 by year four. Debt is $32,147 and debt-to-earnings is 0.735 for a D grade. This is the modal traditional-undergrad outcome at Bridgeport.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 37 students with $33,392 first-year earnings and $55,958 by year four. Debt is $30,396 and debt-to-earnings is 0.91 for a D grade. Without graduate school, the financial outcome here is structurally weak; this is a common pattern for psychology at small privates.
Health Professions, Residency Programs
Health Professions Residency graduates 28 students with $30,325 first-year earnings and $53,404 by year four. Debt of $26,000 and debt-to-earnings of 0.857 yield a D grade. The slower earnings ramp here suggests these are entry-level allied-health roles rather than RN-equivalent paths, and the ROI is meaningfully weaker than the school's nursing program.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 53.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 62.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 55.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 57.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Bridgeport’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 | 83.0% |
| Enrollment | 1,534 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 53.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,399 |
Bridgeport admits 83.0% of applicants, an open-access posture. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported. Selectivity is not the lever here; retention support is.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Bridgeport (this school) | 27 | $27,807 | $50,323 |
| Connecticut College | 76 | $36,175 | $75,001 |
| Albertus Magnus College | 39 | $34,028 | $60,144 |
| Atlantic University | 26 | $6,425 | $25,272 |
| Marymount Manhattan College | 24 | $36,861 | $49,131 |
| Lindsey Wilson College | 23 | $15,070 | $41,129 |
Who Thrives Here
Enrollment is 1,534 with a 53.5% Pell rate, so this is a majority-need-based, urban Connecticut student body. The school works for students entering its allied-health pipelines (RN, dental support, health professions), where outcomes are strong and clearly tied to clinical placement. It works poorly for students drawn to traditional liberal arts paths, where earnings stay flat and debt burdens are heavy. The realistic question for a prospect is which program they are entering, not whether to attend the school in the abstract.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of Bridgeport scores 27/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $27,807 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $50,323 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 16.4 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 41.2% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 62.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,750 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $35,600 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. 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.
University of Bridgeport: Common Questions
Is University of Bridgeport worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of Bridgeport scores 27/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $27,807 a year after aid against $50,323 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 16.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does University of Bridgeport 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 $27,807 a year, or roughly $111,228 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 University of Bridgeport graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $50,323 ten years after enrolling, roughly $8,523 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 University of Bridgeport?
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 16.4 years for University of Bridgeport. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Bridgeport graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,750, against average earnings of $35,600 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. 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 University of Bridgeport?
The six-year graduation rate is 41.2%. 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.