University of Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut · Private Nonprofit · 83.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 27/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Bridgeport scores 27 in the Poor Value 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. Median earnings six years after entry are $35,600 and climb to $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 in the file. 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.
The data raises concerns about University of Bridgeport
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score27/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period16.4 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 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 |
| Median 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. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. 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.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $25,750 in federal loans, which works out to about $273 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $50,323 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.72, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
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. These are top-decile RN outcomes in the dataset and reflect Connecticut's strong hospital labor market combined with direct clinical placement. 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 - the highest in the file - and debt-to-earnings is 0.735 for a D grade. This is the modal traditional-undergrad outcome at Bridgeport, and the heavy debt with modest earnings is why this track is genuinely hard to defend at the school's net price.
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 but is particularly punishing at Bridgeport's price point.
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 | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 53.1% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 62.0% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 55.7% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 57.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Bridgeport’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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. The combination of a near-83% admit rate, 53% Pell enrollment, and 41% completion rate is consistent with a regional access institution that takes academic risks at the front door and then loses many of those students to financial and academic attrition. Selectivity is not the lever here; retention support is.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Bridgeport's peer set (Albertus Magnus College, Connecticut College, Atlantic University, Marymount Manhattan College, Lindsey Wilson College) is uneven. Connecticut College is a top-tier liberal arts school and not a meaningful comp despite the state match. Albertus Magnus is a closer fit as a small CT private, and typically posts comparable enrollment with somewhat better completion. Marymount Manhattan and Lindsey Wilson are similar small privates with mixed ROI profiles. Across the group, Bridgeport's health-program strength is unusual but its overall earnings premium is among the weakest.
| 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: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at University of Bridgeport are a real concern. With a net cost of $27,807 per year and the typical graduate earning only $50,323 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 16.4 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 41.2% graduation rate, high debt relative to what graduates earn, concerning loan repayment rates, a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,750 against $50,323 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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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.