Bridgewater College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Bridgewater, Virginia. It enrolls 1,400 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
65/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes44
Value62
Affordability52
Selectivity36
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 91.7%, Bridgewater College is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
91.7%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1020 – 1360
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Bridgewater College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
23.5 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Bridgewater College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $17,800 per year. That's below the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$17,800
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
30%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
60%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$16,090
Room & Board (on-campus)
$14,850
Room & Board (off-campus)
$17,015
Books & Supplies
$1,005
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,578
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,855
Total Cost of Attendance
$58,702
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$13,283
$30,001 – $48,000
$12,468
$48,001 – $75,000
$15,046
$75,001 – $110,000
$20,582
Over $110,000
$21,448
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$4,79810%percentile
$7,50025%percentile
$26,000Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$33,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $18,585
↓ $7,415
No Pell $16,284
↓ $9,716
Dependent students $17,750
↓ $8,250
Independent students $14,779
↓ $11,221
Female students $19,500
↓ $6,500
Male students $14,250
↓ $11,750
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,676, less than completers ($26,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
59% of full-time students who enrolled at Bridgewater College graduate within six years, and 76% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
59%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
76%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Bridgewater College earn a median of $53,453 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$53,453
Earning > $25K
84%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$41,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$51,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$39,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$43,700
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$49,300
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $9,900, about 19% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
11.5 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 93% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Bridgewater College is home to 1,400 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 32% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
1,400
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
32%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 66.2%927
Black 10.8%151
Hispanic 7.5%105
Other 6.0%84
International 3.5%49
Asian 1.6%22
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Bridgewater College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small SuburbBridgewater, Virginia
Housing
Strongly residential1,538 beds for 1,400 students
Adult Learners
0%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Bridgewater College offers
a varied set of programs:
30 distinct programs across
17 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Bridgewater College is 12:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$154M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$65,645
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
95 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
14
15%
$83,477
Associate Professors
46
48%
$66,614
Assistant Professors
22
23%
$59,919
Instructors
13
14%
$52,705
Pros & Cons of Bridgewater College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Bridgewater College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Tight-knit, close community feel
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Modest first-year retention
Best for:
Based on the data, Bridgewater College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bridgewater College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Bridgewater College.
Is Bridgewater College hard to get into?
Bridgewater College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 91.7%.
What is the acceptance rate at Bridgewater College?
Bridgewater College has an acceptance rate of 91.7%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Bridgewater College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Bridgewater College scored between 1020 and 1360 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
How much does Bridgewater College cost?
The average net price after aid at Bridgewater College is $17,800 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bridgewater College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $53,453 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $17,800 per year. That's roughly 3.0x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Bridgewater College known for?
Bridgewater College is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Kinesiology, Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Bridgewater College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Bridgewater College are $53,453, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Bridgewater College accredited?
Yes. Bridgewater College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Bridgewater College?
Bridgewater College enrolls 1,400 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Bridgewater College?
Bridgewater College graduates 59% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Bridgewater College a public or private college?
Bridgewater College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Bridgewater College located?
Bridgewater College is located in Bridgewater, Virginia.
What programs does Bridgewater College offer?
Bridgewater College offers 30 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Kinesiology, Psychology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Bridgewater College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Bridgewater College is 12:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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