Bridgewater State vs. Harvard

Deciding between Bridgewater State University and Harvard University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Bridgewater State University
Harvard University

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Bridgewater State Bridgewater, MA
  • Harvard Cambridge, MA
  • Setting
  • Bridgewater State Large Suburban
  • Harvard Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Bridgewater State 9,727
  • Harvard 30,259
  • Type
  • Bridgewater State Public 4 Year
  • Harvard Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Bridgewater State #553
  • Harvard #4
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Bridgewater State -
  • Harvard -
  • Status
  • Bridgewater State Non-profit
  • Harvard Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Bridgewater State
  • Harvard

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Bridgewater State $11,808
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Bridgewater State $17,948
  • Harvard $61,676
  • Room & Board
  • Bridgewater State $15,247
  • Harvard $21,190
  • Average Net Price
  • Bridgewater State $15,646
  • Harvard $17,525
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Bridgewater State $10,318
  • Harvard $68,015
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Bridgewater State 86%
  • Harvard 56%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Bridgewater State 9,096
  • Harvard 54,008
  • Admitted
  • Bridgewater State 7,987
  • Harvard 1,970
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Bridgewater State 87.8%
  • Harvard 3.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Bridgewater State 19.4%
  • Harvard 83.6%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Bridgewater State 1160
  • Harvard 1550
  • Typical ACT score
  • Bridgewater State 27
  • Harvard 35
  • Average High School GPA
  • Bridgewater State 3.21
  • Harvard 4.0
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Bridgewater State B+
  • Harvard A/A+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Bridgewater State Challenging
  • Harvard Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Bridgewater State
  • Harvard Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Bridgewater State 25/30
  • Harvard 34/36
  • SAT Range
  • Bridgewater State 1060/1263
  • Harvard 1510/1580
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Bridgewater State Test optional
  • Harvard Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Bridgewater State Feb 15, 2027
  • Harvard Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Bridgewater State 17:1
  • Harvard 7:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Bridgewater State
    • Education (17%)
    • Business (15%)
    • Psychology (12%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
    • English and Literature (8%)
  • Harvard
    • Social Sciences (32%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
    • History (9%)
    • Mathematics (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Bridgewater State 52%
  • Harvard 97%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Bridgewater State $45,700
  • Harvard $136,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Bridgewater State 64%
  • Harvard 70%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Bridgewater State $24,590
  • Harvard $6,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Bridgewater State $254
  • Harvard $67

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Bridgewater State 39%
  • Harvard 46%
  • % Women
  • Bridgewater State 61%
  • Harvard 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Bridgewater State Low
  • Harvard Very High
  • HBCU
  • Bridgewater State No
  • Harvard No
  • % White
  • Bridgewater State 78%
  • Harvard 44%
  • % Asian
  • Bridgewater State 2%
  • Harvard 19%
  • % Black
  • Bridgewater State 9%
  • Harvard 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Bridgewater State 6%
  • Harvard 10%
  • % Native American
  • Bridgewater State 0%
  • Harvard 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Bridgewater State 0%
  • Harvard 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Bridgewater State 3%
  • Harvard 6%
  • % International
  • Bridgewater State 0%
  • Harvard 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Bridgewater State 1%
  • Harvard 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Bridgewater State 92%
  • Harvard 14%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Bridgewater State 8%
  • Harvard 68%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Bridgewater State Yes
  • Harvard Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Bridgewater State No
  • Harvard Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Bridgewater State Yes
  • Harvard Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Bridgewater State No
  • Harvard No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Bridgewater State Yes
  • Harvard Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, MA with Harvard University in Cambridge, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Harvard University is larger than Bridgewater State based on total student enrollment (30,259 students vs. 9,727 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Bridgewater State University is located in Bridgewater, MA (Large Suburban setting); Harvard University is in Cambridge, MA (Midsize City setting).
  • Bridgewater State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Harvard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Bridgewater State University 17:1; Harvard University 7:1.

Bridgewater State vs. Harvard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bridgewater State or Harvard? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater State University than Harvard ($15,646 vs. $17,525).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater State University are 28% lower than at Harvard University ($15,247 vs. $21,190).
  • Harvard University is 422.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Bridgewater State (about $49,868 more per year; $61,676.00 vs. $11,808.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 243.6% higher at Harvard than at Bridgewater State University (about $43,728 more per year; $61,676.00 vs. $17,948.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Bridgewater State University than at Harvard University (86% vs. 56%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 559.2% larger than aid received by Bridgewater State University students ($68,015 vs. $10,318).

Bridgewater State vs. Harvard Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bridgewater State or Harvard? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Harvard and Bridgewater State.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Harvard University (1550) is 390 points higher than at Bridgewater State (1160).
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 8 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (35 vs. 27 at Bridgewater State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Bridgewater State University 1060/1263; Harvard University 1510/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Bridgewater State University 25/30; Harvard University 34/36.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Bridgewater State - Test optional; Harvard - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Bridgewater State Feb 15, 2027; Harvard Jan 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.79 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Bridgewater State (3.21).
  • Bridgewater State has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Harvard (3.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Bridgewater State vs. 83.6% at Harvard.

Bridgewater State vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Bridgewater State and Harvard? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Harvard University's six-year graduation rate (97%) is higher than Bridgewater State University's (52%).
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn a median of about $91,000 more per year than Bridgewater State graduates about ten years after starting college ($136,700 vs. $45,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Harvard University graduates have a $18,090 lower median loan debt than Bridgewater State graduates ($6,500 vs. $24,590).
  • Among borrowers, Harvard graduates have an estimated $187 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Bridgewater State graduates ($67 vs. $254).
  • More Harvard graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bridgewater State students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 64%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.