UMass Dartmouth vs. UMass vs. University of Massachusetts-Boston vs. Bridgewater State

Should I go to University of Massachusetts Dartmouth or University of Massachusetts Amherst? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMass Dartmouth or UMass is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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University of Massachusetts Dartmouth vs. University of Massachusetts Amherst vs. University of Massachusetts Boston vs. Bridgewater State University comparison
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth University of Massachusetts Amherst University of Massachusetts Boston Bridgewater State University
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth University of Massachusetts Amherst University of Massachusetts Boston Bridgewater State University
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Overview

UMass Dartmouth UMass University of Massachusetts-Boston Bridgewater State
Location North Dartmouth, MA Amherst, MA Boston, MA Bridgewater, MA
Setting Midsize Suburban Town Fringe Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 7,759 31,810 15,810 9,550
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #557 #176 #425 #643
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website umassd.edu umass.edu umb.edu bridgew.edu
Team Colors                                        

Costs

UMass Dartmouth UMass University of Massachusetts-Boston Bridgewater State
Tuition (In State) $14,533 $16,591 $14,906 $910
Tuition (Out of State) $31,075 $38,527 $36,584 $7,050
Room & Board $17,940 $14,869 $17,512 $14,586
Avg Net Price $20,696 $22,954 $17,554 $16,230
Avg Grant Aid $10,728 $12,343 $12,611 $8,911
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 75% 86% 72%

Admission

UMass Dartmouth UMass University of Massachusetts-Boston Bridgewater State
Applied 9,794 50,424 20,918 8,631
Admitted 9,026 29,129 17,353 7,698
Acceptance Rate 92.2% 57.8% 83% 36.8%
Enrolled % 15.2% 18.1% 14.2% 9.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.99 3.35 3.21
Typical High School Grades B+ A- B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Exceptional Difficult Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/27 29/33 24/30 18/27
SAT Range 1040/1260 1300/1480 1080/1290 1040/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Feb 15, 2026 Feb 15, 2026

Academics

UMass Dartmouth UMass University of Massachusetts-Boston Bridgewater State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (31%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

UMass Dartmouth UMass University of Massachusetts-Boston Bridgewater State
Graduation Rate 48% 67% 40% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $55,200 $51,200 $45,700
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 76% 58% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,760 $24,000 $22,060 $24,590
Median Loan Payment $266 $248 $228 $254

Diversity

UMass Dartmouth UMass University of Massachusetts-Boston Bridgewater State
% Men 13% 12% 8% 4%
% Women 14% 12% 14% 11%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium Very High Low
HBCU No No No No
% White 64% 67% 36% 78%
% Black 14% 4% 16% 9%
% Hispanic 8% 5% 14% 6%
% Native American 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3% 3% 3%
% International 1% 4% 12% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 8% 7% 1%

Students

UMass Dartmouth UMass University of Massachusetts-Boston Bridgewater State
% In-State 84% 67% 78% 90%
% Out-of-State 13% 23% 14% 9%

Campus

UMass Dartmouth UMass University of Massachusetts-Boston Bridgewater State
Campus Housing Yes Yes No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than than UMass Dartmouth based on total student enrollment (31,810 students vs. 7,759 students)

UMass Dartmouth vs. UMass Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMass Dartmouth or UMass?

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is 14.2% more expensive to attend than UMass Dartmouth for in-state tuition ($16,591.00 vs. $14,533.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24% higher at UMass than University of Massachusetts Dartmouth ($38,527.00 vs. $31,075.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth than UMass ($20,696 vs. $22,954)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 20.7% lower than costs at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth ($14,869 vs. $17,940)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth than University of Massachusetts Amherst (96% vs. 75%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Massachusetts Amherst students is 15.1% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Dartmouth ($12,343 vs. $10,728)

UMass Dartmouth vs. UMass Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UMass Dartmouth or UMass? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UMass or UMass Dartmouth .

  • The average SAT score at University of Massachusetts Amherst (1226) is 201 points higher than at UMass Dartmouth (1025)
  • Incoming UMass students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UMass Dartmouth (22)
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.62 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at UMass Dartmouth (3.37)
  • UMass Dartmouth has a higher acceptance rate (92.2%) than UMass (57.8%)

UMass Dartmouth vs. UMass Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMass Dartmouth or UMass? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UMass and UMass Dartmouth.

  • The graduation rate at UMass is higher than University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (67% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from University of Massachusetts Amherst earn on average $6,200 more per year than UMass Dartmouth graduates after ten years. ($55,200 vs. $49,000)
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst students graduate with a $1,760 lower median federal student loan debt than UMass Dartmouth graduates. ($24,000 vs. $25,760)
  • UMass graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than UMass Dartmouth graduates. ($248 vs. $266)
  • More UMass graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMass Dartmouth students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 67%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/