More selective than 18% of Massachusetts colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $25,555. College Scorecard.
Higher than 27% of Massachusetts colleges we cover and 53% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 30% of Massachusetts colleges we cover and 52% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Fitchburg State University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 4,353 applicants, Fitchburg State University admitted 3,915 and 611 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1060–1230 on the SAT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Fitchburg State University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Massachusetts residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Fitchburg State University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Fitchburg State University took 4.3 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Massachusetts. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,204 | $44,081 | 3.1 years |
| $30–48k | $11,199 | $48,380 | 3.5 years |
| $48–75k | $11,540 | $49,853 | 3.6 years |
| $75–110k | $15,571 | $67,267 | 4.8 years |
| $110k+ | $21,123 | $91,251 | 6.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (38% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($53,874) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,994 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Fitchburg State University majors, earnings & careers
Fitchburg State University offers 39 bachelor's majors across 11 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 7
- Humanities & Languages · 5
- Science & Math · 5
- Education · 4
- Engineering · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Technology & Computing · 3
- Business & Finance · 2
- Communications & Media · 2
- Non-degree / basic skills · 1
Highest-earning majors at Fitchburg State University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $92,187 | $27,000 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $75,879 | $27,875 |
| Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians | $66,707 | $27,000 |
| Biology | $65,991 | $27,000 |
| Business Administration | $64,528 | $26,983 |
| Criminal Justice | $62,396 | $26,000 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $60,768 | $27,000 |
| Leisure and Recreational Activities | $54,813 | — |
Quick list of all 39 majors
- Architectural Sciences and Technology—
- Biology$65,991
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business Administration$64,528
- Chemistry—
- Communications$46,129
- Computer and Information Sciences$75,879
- Computer Programming—
- Computer Science—
- Criminal Justice$62,396
- Economics—
- Education—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$46,696
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Energy Systems Technologies / Technicians—
- Engineering-Related Fields—
- English$51,141
- Film and Photography—
- Geography—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$42,946
- History—
- Human Services$52,945
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians$66,707
- Interdisciplinary Studies$50,089
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$60,768
- Leisure and Recreational Activities$54,813
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mathematics—
- Nursing$92,187
- Physiology—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$50,046
- Psychology (Research)—
- Public Health—
- Sociology—
- Special Education—
- Theatre—
- Writing—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Communications → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Worcester
Overall prices in the Worcester, MA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,659. Housing costs 13% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 50 inches of rain a year, 75 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: hurricane (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Worcester County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Worcester County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Fitchburg State University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Massachusetts by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitchburg State University | 87% | $14,262 | 55% | $53,874 | This school |
| Framingham State University | 84% | $16,114 | 48% | $52,349 | |
| Westfield State University | 81% | $16,721 | 54% | $57,346 | |
| Worcester State University | 88% | $13,381 | 61% | $60,624 | |
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | 90% | $16,068 | 56% | $48,102 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Fitchburg State University would cost you $1,852 less per year than Framingham State University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Fitchburg State University, mostly from more Fitchburg State University students living at home, which lowers its average (−$1,745).
- Framingham State University gives aided families $6 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Massachusetts resident | Fitchburg State University | Framingham State University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $11,346 | $11,920 | −$574 |
| Books & supplies | $1,500 | $1,200 | +$300 |
| Housing & meals | $14,225 | $13,784 | +$441 |
| Personal & travel | $2,100 | $2,380 | −$280 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,616 | −$1,871 | −$1,745 |
| Sticker price | $25,555 | $27,413 | −$1,858 |
| Average grants | −$11,293 | −$11,299 | +$6 |
| You pay | $14,262 | $16,114 | −$1,852 |
“+” means Fitchburg State University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Fitchburg State University
What is the Fitchburg State University acceptance rate?
Fitchburg State University accepts 87% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 3,915 of 4,353 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1060–1230 on the SAT.
How much does Fitchburg State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $25,555 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $14,262 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $10,204 and families earning $110k+ pay $21,123.
How much do Fitchburg State University graduates earn?
Former Fitchburg State University students earn a median $53,874 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Fitchburg State University graduation rate?
55% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 69% return for their second year.
How long does a Fitchburg State University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Fitchburg State University costs about $49,853 after grants ($11,540 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $53,874 ten years after starting, $13,994 more than high school graduates in Massachusetts ($39,880), so the cost is repaid in 3.6 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is Fitchburg State University the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Fitchburg State University with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Fitchburg State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/fitchburg-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).