More selective than 23% of Connecticut colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $24,877. College Scorecard.
Higher than 20% of Connecticut colleges we cover and 45% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 26% of Connecticut colleges we cover and 67% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Western Connecticut State University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 5,457 applicants, Western Connecticut State University admitted 4,440 and 711 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1040–1170 on the SAT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Western Connecticut State University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Connecticut 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 Western Connecticut State University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Western Connecticut State University took 4.4 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 Connecticut. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $13,507 | $59,566 | 2.8 years |
| $30–48k | $13,716 | $60,488 | 2.8 years |
| $48–75k | $16,697 | $73,634 | 3.5 years |
| $75–110k | $18,737 | $82,630 | 3.9 years |
| $110k+ | $21,318 | $94,012 | 4.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (33% 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 ($59,115) minus $37,781 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CT (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $21,334 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.
Western Connecticut State University majors, earnings & careers
Western Connecticut State University offers 40 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Business & Finance · 7
- Humanities & Languages · 7
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 7
- Science & Math · 6
- Arts & Design · 3
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Education · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Non-degree / basic skills · 1
Highest-earning majors at Western Connecticut State University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $118,324 | $24,125 |
| Nursing | $96,483 | $26,000 |
| Finance | $81,768 | $22,000 |
| Accounting | $80,895 | $25,375 |
| Management Information Systems | $72,291 | $23,670 |
| Marketing | $68,490 | $23,535 |
| Management Science / Analytics | $66,878 | $25,000 |
| Criminal Justice | $66,510 | $24,875 |
Quick list of all 40 majors
- Accounting$80,895
- Anthropology—
- Applied Mathematics—
- Area Studies—
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology—
- Biology$52,458
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$43,257
- Business Administration—
- Chemistry—
- Communications$52,385
- Computer and Information Sciences$118,324
- Computer Programming—
- Criminal Justice$66,510
- Economics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)$56,882
- English—
- Finance$81,768
- Geology / Earth Science—
- History$49,967
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- Leisure and Recreational Activities$39,609
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$40,555
- Management Information Systems$72,291
- Management Science / Analytics$66,878
- Marketing$68,490
- Mathematics—
- Medical Laboratory Science—
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions$63,218
- Music$35,889
- Nursing$96,483
- Political Science—
- Psychology$50,410
- Social Sciences—
- Social Work$56,058
- Sociology and Anthropology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art—
- Theatre$50,955
- 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 →Criminal Justice → Police officer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Management Science / Analytics → Operations research analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 11.9% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Bridgeport
Overall prices in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $2,399. Housing costs 50% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 53 inches of rain a year, 49 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: hurricane (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); coastal flooding (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Western Connecticut Planning R
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Western Connecticut Planning R at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Western Connecticut State University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Connecticut 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Connecticut State University | 87% | $17,604 | 52% | $59,115 | This school |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | 83% | $21,067 | 58% | $56,469 | |
| University of Connecticut-Stamford | 83% | $16,798 | 57% | $73,997 | |
| University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus | 87% | $10,875 | 53% | $73,997 | |
| University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus | 88% | $16,403 | 65% | $73,997 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Western Connecticut State University would cost you $3,463 less per year than Eastern Connecticut State University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Western Connecticut State University, mostly from more Western Connecticut State University students living at home, which lowers its average (−$4,050).
- Eastern Connecticut State University gives aided families $3,643 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Connecticut resident | Western Connecticut State University | ECSU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $13,401 | $13,928 | −$527 |
| Books & supplies | $1,300 | $800 | +$500 |
| Housing & meals | $15,131 | $17,258 | −$2,127 |
| Personal & travel | $1,358 | $2,260 | −$902 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$6,313 | −$2,263 | −$4,050 |
| Sticker price | $24,877 | $31,983 | −$7,106 |
| Average grants | −$7,273 | −$10,916 | +$3,643 |
| You pay | $17,604 | $21,067 | −$3,463 |
“+” means Western Connecticut 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 Western Connecticut State University
What is the Western Connecticut State University acceptance rate?
Western Connecticut State University accepts 87% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 4,440 of 5,457 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1040–1170 on the SAT.
How much does Western Connecticut State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $24,877 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $17,604 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $13,507 and families earning $110k+ pay $21,318.
How much do Western Connecticut State University graduates earn?
Former Western Connecticut State University students earn a median $59,115 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Western Connecticut State University graduation rate?
52% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 73% return for their second year.
How long does a Western Connecticut State University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Western Connecticut State University costs about $73,634 after grants ($16,697 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $59,115 ten years after starting, $21,334 more than high school graduates in Connecticut ($37,781), so the cost is repaid in 3.5 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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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: “Western Connecticut State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-connecticut-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).