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Bridgewater College

Bridgewater, VA
Known forGenerous aidLow average costTest-optional heavyAverage cost down 52% since 2013–14
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

9 in 10 applicants admitted

Bridgewater admits about 9 in 10 applicants (92%). That puts it in the "Broadly accessible" tier, more selective than 19% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

92%

92%

acceptance rateBroadly accessible

Applied

3,938

Admitted

3,612

Yield

10%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1020–1360

8001600
Applications −36% since fall 2014 · admit rate 48% → 92%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 1,400 undergrads, where 30% receive Pell Grants, a typical share compared to other colleges.

1.4K

undergrads · larger than 47% of colleges

Diversity index

0.54

Pell Grant

30%

below the median

First generation

32%

about the median

Small suburbNCAA D-III · Old Dominion Athletic ConferenceStudy abroadUndergrad research
More diverse · index 0.41 → 0.54 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Business Administration and Management, General (26% of graduates). 13 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 50% of colleges. 70% of faculty are full-time. Spends $8,750 a year on instruction per student.

13 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 50% of colleges

Most popular major

Business Administration and Management, General

26% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer Science

$81.1K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

70%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$8.8K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $12,757 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $11.5K less than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $11,316 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $60,045.

79%

$12.8K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $11.5K below the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$60,045 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid
34% · avg $60K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)
Aid generosity

Very generous

grants cover 79% of full price

Federal loans

60%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −52% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $53,453 ten years after enrolling, more than at 49% of colleges; 61% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.0 years of that salary.

61%

61%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$53.5K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$26K

≈ $276/month for 10 years

Retention

75%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 61% → 53% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 5% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 52%, because grants grew faster. Applications fell 36% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 48% to 92%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −52% after inflation

  • Applications

    Shrinking

    −36%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 48% → 92%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.41 → 0.54

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

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Whitworth University

90% admit · SAT 1210 · 1.9K undergrads

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Franklin Pierce University

93% admit · SAT 1170 · 992 undergrads

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    Bridgewater College (2026)

    Bridgewater College · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 231581 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything