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Bridgewater College

Bridgewater , VA

Bridgewater College, located in Bridgewater, Virginia, is a private liberal arts college that offers a comprehensive educational experience to its students. With a strong emphasis on critical thinking, communication skills, and experiential learning, the college aims to shape well-rounded individuals who are prepared for successful careers and engaged citizenship.

The college was founded in 1880 and has since grown into a vibrant community of around 1,800 undergraduate students. Bridgewater College offers more than 60 majors and minors across various disciplines, ranging from business and economics to sciences, humanities, and social sciences. The faculty consists of highly experienced professors who are dedicated to providing personalized education and mentorship to students.

Beyond the classroom, Bridgewater College offers numerous opportunities for students to engage in extracurricular activities. The college is home to over 60 student clubs and organizations, covering diverse interests such as academic, cultural, service, and recreational pursuits. Additionally, the campus hosts a range of events and activities throughout the year, including guest lectures, performances, and athletic competitions, fostering a lively and inclusive community spirit.

Located in Bridgewater, VA, Bridgewater College is a private comprehensive higher education institution. This school follows a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 91%. The freshman retention rate at Bridgewater College is 75% and the six-year graduation rate is 53%.

For freshmen, the application deadline for this school is August 1. Find out more about what you can expect if you get into Bridgewater College.

Quick Facts

1,407

Total Number of Undergraduate Students

$15,000

Tuition

13:1

Student to Faculty Ratio

53%

Graduation Rate

Admissions

In order to improve your chances of getting admitted, you need to know as much as possible about the university's criteria for admission. Learn some vital info about admission policy and requirements at Bridgewater College.

According to the newest information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 3,612 in 2025. Bridgewater College has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores in cases when they are submitted by the applicant.

Test Scores

Out of the number of applicants who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 6% and ACT scores 1%. 23.8% of the new students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 23.8% between 1,200 and 1,399, 28.6% between 1,000 and 1,199, and 23.8% of the students between 800 and 999. The latest reported average GPA of the enrolled students was 3.54. Therefore, the chances are that you'll need a GPA higher than the average for acceptance,.

The SAT Critical Reading average score was 607 for the enrolled first-year students, while the average SAT Math score was 581.

Average Test Scores

Deadlines

The cutoff date for submitting applications to Bridgewater College is August 1.

Retention Rate

The percentage of new students at a college or university who stay on for their second year is known as the freshman retention rate. That information can tell you if the majority of freshmen liked their first year enough to come back.

The freshman retention rate for Bridgewater College was 75% in 2025, indicative of the exceptional educational experience and supportive environment at this school.

The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This rate shows how many students complete their degrees in a certain number of years. At this academic institution, the proportion of students graduating in six years is 53%.

Student Body

Deciding if a school is the best fit for you is not an easy task. You can get a better insight into a school's culture and life by finding out more about its student body.

Main Student Body

The total number of students enrolled at Bridgewater College in 2025 was 1,448.

That year, the school had 20% of out-of-state students. There was a total of 1,407 those pursuing undergraduate studies, including 49 international students. 66 students were accepted as transfer students.

Student Population Gender Ratio

With a coeducational student body, the school had 749 male and 670 female full-time students in 2025.

Student Population Diversity

The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. A heterogeneous student body brings together individuals from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.

This school had 22 Asian students and 151 Afro-American students in 2025. 105 students at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 78 identified with more than one race. The school also had 1 student who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 5 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 62 students whose ethnicity is unknown.

Cost

The financial aspect is one of the most important things to consider before applying to any college or university. Here are some data on the expenses that most students at this institution have.

Tuition and Fees

Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about Bridgewater College estimated tuition fees.

Tuition in 2025 was $15,000 for full-time domestic students. Bridgewater College is a private institution, so tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Full-time students in 2025 were obliged to pay additional fees in the amount of $1,090.

Books and Supplies

When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to think about the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. The cost of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is estimated at about $1,005.

Boarding

Before you apply to a college or university, you should, among other things, think about the price of a dorm room and cafeteria meals. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for lodging and meals?

The cost of room and board (on campus) per academic year at Bridgewater College was $14,850 in 2025. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was $12,357.

Tuition $ 15,000
Room and Board $ 14,850
Book and Supplies $ 1,005
Total Expense $ 30,855

Financial Aid

Grants, loans, scholarships, work-study programs: these are all types of financial support for students. If you want to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Bridgewater College, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.

The most recent records show that 275 freshmen received some sort of financial help. The average financial aid package awarded to students totaled $17,191.

Need-based

Need-based financial aid is exactly what it sounds like — it’s awarded based on the determined financial need.

476 students obtained some form of need-based financial aid. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need amounted to 853. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution summed up to $3,237,122, and state $3,286,909. The students of Bridgewater College received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $3,940,215, and external in the amount of $252,548.

$8,709

Average Amount of Aid Received

Non-Need Based

Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. Most students get non-need-based financial aid as Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the TEACH Grant.

Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 476 students overall (including freshmen) at Bridgewater College in 2025. 165 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. The total dollar amount of federal non-need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the studens at this school was $3,237,122 while the state aid is $2,220. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $3,775,085. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $35,094 USD.

Faculty

13:1

Student to Faculty Ratio

The student-to-faculty ratio can tell you a lot about the teaching resources a school provides for its students.

According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Bridgewater College was 13:1: that means 13 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. The faculty of this school consists of 146 members, according to the most recent data reported. Out of that number, there were 66 male and 80 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school is telling of the importance gender equality has at Bridgewater College.

Student Population Diversity Graph

0
100
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100

Campus Life

Not everything at Bridgewater College is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Find out some information about students' life at Bridgewater College.

Its campus is 190 acres in size.

Student Organizations

Student organizations are run by students of an institution, and its membership typically consists exclusively of current students and/or alumni.

This school has 81 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. If you are interested in music, you can join the Bridgewater College band or chorus. For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. Interested in media and communication? Bridgewater College publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.

Student Services

Bridgewater College provides a number of services vital for a pleasant and safe life on campus.

There are phone and alarm devices that can be accessed 24/7 for emergency situations. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a security patrol available 24/7. Theer is a nighttime transportation/escort service.

This school has a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. All in all, campus life at Bridgewater College is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.

Career Services

Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Bridgewater College.

Career Counselling

At Bridgewater College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be excellent for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.

Job Placement

Understanding the potential salary after graduating can be of help in determining if a specific educational institution matches your professional aspirations.

The average base annual starting salary of the students who were employed within six months of graduation at this school is 50,134 USD.

$50,134

Average Starting Salary After 6 Months of Graduation

FAQ

Bridgewater College is located in Bridgewater, VA.

According to the latest information, you would need to pay about 15,000 USD per academic year for Bridgewater College.

This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.

The most recent reported acceptance rate for Bridgewater College is 91%.

According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for Bridgewater College is 75%.

Contact Information

Bridgewater College

402 East College Street

Bridgewater , VA

22812-1599

540 828-8000

School Website

Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.

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