by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Bridgewater State retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree and how long it takes.
Freshmen retention rate refers to the percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year.
With 75% students making it past their freshmen year, Bridgewater State has freshmen retention rates above the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Massachusetts, the average is 73.02%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Bridgewater State | 75% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Massachusetts | 73.02% |
How many of the estimated 1761 students in the class of 2023 actually finished their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 43% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 58% of the students had graduated and after eight years 60% of this class completed their degree.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical Bridgewater State graduation rate 58%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1312 | 43% |
| Six Years | 1761 | 58% |
| Eight Years | 58 | 2% |
| Did Not Complete | 1208 | 40% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 1208 students or 40% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1208 students who did not complete their degree?
8 are still enrolled.
601 transferred to another institution.
Bridgewater State lost contact with the remaining 580 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 0.7% |
| Transferred | 601 | 49.8% |
| Dropped Out | 580 | 48.0% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| Asian | 48% |
| Black / African-American | 42% |
| Hispanic | 42% |
| International | 100% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 42% |
| Unknown | 48% |
| White | 60% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
A meaningful share of students at Bridgewater State are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Bridgewater State University represent 47.26% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Bridgewater State graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 58% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Bridgewater State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 33% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 55% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 58% | 47.82% |
602 first-time / full-time students or 42% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
336 transferred to another institution.
Bridgewater State lost contact with the remaining 258 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 1.33% |
| Transferred | 336 | 55.81% |
| Dropped Out | 258 | 42.86% |
First-time / part-time students at Bridgewater State University represent 1.35% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Bridgewater State graduation rate was 5%, and by the eight year mark, 5% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Bridgewater State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 5% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 5% | 23.72% |
39 first-time / part-time students or 95% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
0 are still enrolled.
24 transferred to another institution.
Bridgewater State lost contact with the remaining 15 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 0 | 0.00% |
| Transferred | 24 | 61.54% |
| Dropped Out | 15 | 38.46% |
Returning / full-time students at Bridgewater State University represent 40.37% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Bridgewater State graduation rate was 66%, and by the eight year mark, 67% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Bridgewater State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 66% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 67% | 55.07% |
399 non first-time / part-time students or 33% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
11 are still enrolled.
171 transferred to another institution.
Bridgewater State lost contact with the remaining 217 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 11 | 2.76% |
| Transferred | 171 | 42.86% |
| Dropped Out | 217 | 54.39% |
Returning / part-time students at Bridgewater State University represent 11.02% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Bridgewater State graduation rate was 48%, and by the eight year mark, 50% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Bridgewater State | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 36% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 48% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 50% | 37.80% |
168 non first-time / part-time students or 50% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
8 are still enrolled.
70 transferred to another institution.
Bridgewater State lost contact with the remaining 90 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 8 | 4.76% |
| Transferred | 70 | 41.67% |
| Dropped Out | 90 | 53.57% |
