# Fitchburg State University

Public college in Fitchburg, MA. IPEDS ID 165820.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/fitchburg-state-university · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/fitchburg-state-university.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 87% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $14,262 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 55%; beats 27% of MA colleges and 53% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $53,874; beats 30% of MA colleges and 52% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $18,220

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $10,204 |
| 30-48k | $11,199 |
| 48-75k | $11,540 |
| 75-110k | $15,571 |
| 110k+ | $21,123 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, in-state. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.32 years on average (38% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $53,874 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| 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 |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $25,555 in-state; about $31,635 out-of-state
- Tuition and fees: $11,346 in-state, $17,426 out-of-state
- Housing and meals: $14,225; books: $1,500

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 540–620; SAT math: 520–610; ACT: not reported (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 4,353 applicants, 3,915 admitted, 611 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 87%, ACT not reported (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 90%, ACT 19–25 (IPEDS Admissions)

## Majors (39 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $80,228 | $92,187 | $27,000 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $47,508 | $75,879 | $27,875 |
| Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians | $56,336 | $66,707 | $27,000 |
| Biology | $41,250 | $65,991 | $27,000 |
| Business Administration | $49,907 | $64,528 | $26,983 |
| Criminal Justice | $43,418 | $62,396 | $26,000 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $37,218 | $60,768 | $27,000 |
| Leisure and Recreational Activities | not reported | $54,813 | not reported |
| Human Services | $45,641 | $52,945 | $26,352 |
| English | $39,938 | $51,141 | $27,000 |
| Interdisciplinary Studies | $39,530 | $50,089 | $26,000 |
| Psychology | $37,545 | $50,046 | $26,125 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $40,780 | $46,696 | $21,813 |
| Communications | $30,662 | $46,129 | $25,000 |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | $29,191 | $42,946 | $27,000 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Broadcasting / Digital Media | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Computer Programming | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Computer Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Special Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Engineering-Related Fields | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Energy Systems Technologies / Technicians | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Writing | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physiology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Geology / Earth Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Psychology (Research) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Economics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Geography | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Political Science | $29,600 | not reported | $23,665 |
| Sociology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Film and Photography | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Public Health | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| History | $46,184 | not reported | $21,635 |

## Major to career
- Communications → Public relations specialist: median wage $75,610 (Worcester, MA), $79,660 (MA), $74,750 (U.S.)
- Business Administration → Management analyst: median wage $122,180 (Worcester, MA), $134,720 (MA), $101,860 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).