Bridgewater College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Bridgewater College charges a net price of $17,800/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $71,200. Graduates earn a median $53,453 ten years after entry, $5,093/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 14 years — a 20-year net return of $30,660, a slow but positive payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Bridgewater College's 14-year payback ranks #933 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 27% of them, and #27 of 81 in Virginia.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $17,800/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $71,200 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $53,453 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $5,093/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $26,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 14 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $30,660 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Bridgewater College's own numbers. Net price $17,800 × 4 years = $71,200 total. Median earnings $53,453 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $5,093 a year of premium. $71,200 ÷ $5,093 = 14 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $30,660. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Bridgewater College students graduate with?
A median $26,000 in federal loans among completers, or 49% of the $53,453 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Bridgewater College students graduate?
53% finish their degree — 47% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $71,200 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $134,340 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Bridgewater College expensive compared with other Virginia colleges?
Its $17,800 net price runs $1,266 below the $19,066 median across the 81 Virginia colleges we profile, and $5,064 less across the full degree.