Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsPublic

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, Massachusetts·Public, 4-year or above·New England·fitchburgstate.edu
6-yr Graduation
55%
+1.5pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Total enrollment
5,892
peer median 5,819
Avg net price
$14,262
-$1.8k vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
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Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

Applied
4,582
4,582 candidates competed
Admitted
3,983
86.9% acceptance rate
Enrolled
539
13.5% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

Overall completion
55%+1.5pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
4-year graduation
38%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
55%
Full-time retention
69%

Pell equity

14.5pp gap
Pell recipients
47%152 of 321
Non-Pell (all)
61%241 of 392
Subsidized loan, no Pell
59%86 of 146
No Federal Aid
63%155 of 246

Non-Pell students graduate at a 14.5-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

Of 61 Title IV programs, 20 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 1 fails. 40 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
61
Passing
20
32.8% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
1
1.6% of portfolio
Fail rate
1.6%
+1.0pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

61programs
  • Passing20 · 32.8%
  • No Data40 · 65.6%
  • Failing1 · 1.6%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
1
At Risk
1
Watch
2
Safe
17
No data
40

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

21
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
-2.6%
$60,251 vs $61,854
Design and Applied Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+8.9%
$42,946 vs $39,449
Communication and Media Studies
Bachelor Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
+16.9%
$46,129 vs $39,449
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
+18.4%
$46,696 vs $39,449
Psychology General
Bachelor Degree · Psychology
+26.9%
$50,046 vs $39,449
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies General
Bachelor Degree · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
+27.0%
$50,089 vs $39,449
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
+29.6%
$51,141 vs $39,449
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Master's Degree · Education
+32.4%
$61,409 vs $46,391

Near the line (±5%)

Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.

1
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
-2.6%
$1,603

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

18
Design and Applied Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
61%
$26,000 debt · $42,946 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
55%
$25,500 debt · $46,696 earn
Communication and Media Studies
Bachelor Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
51%
$23,500 debt · $46,129 earn
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies General
Bachelor Degree · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
50%
$25,000 debt · $50,089 earn
Leisure and Recreational Activities
Bachelor Degree · Leisure And Recreational Activities
49%
$27,000 debt · $54,813 earn
Human Services General
Bachelor Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
47%
$25,000 debt · $52,945 earn
Psychology General
Bachelor Degree · Psychology
47%
$23,250 debt · $50,046 earn
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
46%
$23,505 debt · $51,141 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

New England Commission of Higher Education

Accredited since 1953Next review Dec 2032

Programmatic accreditations · 3

Action history · 2

  1. Sep 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    New England Commission of Higher Education
  2. Sep 2012Renewal of Accreditation
    New England Commission of Higher Education

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$10,204
$30–48k$11,199
$48–75k$11,540
$75–110k$15,571
$110k+$21,123

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$14,262
-$1,793vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs median $16,055
Federal loans
46.8%
In-state tuition
$11,346
Out-of-state
$17,426

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

In AY 2024–25, 1,280 students received $7.4M in Pell grants, alongside $18.4M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
1,280
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$7.4M
$7,371,746 total
Direct Loans
$18.4M
2,997 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

1k
20
1k
21
1k
22
1k
23
1k
24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$3.8M
969 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$5.0M
1,208 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$8.1M
710 loan awards
Parent PLUS$1.4M
99 loan awards
Grad PLUS$108K
11 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Of 1,287 borrowers who entered repayment, 20 (1.5%) defaulted within three years below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
1.5%
-0.8pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
1,287
Defaulted
20
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
6.5%
2017
6.4%
2018
4.8%
2019
1.5%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Fitchburg State

Top program areas ranked by completions.

Distinct CIP programs89
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

1,629 total completions
01Business
64339.5%
02Education
40424.8%
03Health Professions
1529.3%
04Computer Sciences
1187.2%
05Visual/Performing Arts
875.3%
06Security/Protective
714.4%
07Biological Sciences
503.1%
08Psychology
493.0%
09History
291.8%
10Multi/Interdisciplinary
261.6%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

Fall total
5,892
12-mo unduplicated
9,334
Undergraduate
3,726
Graduate
5,608

Gender split

Men
35%3,273
Women
65%6,061

Race / ethnicity composition

White
58.3%
Hispanic
17.7%
Black
14.1%
Two or more
3.6%
Asian
3.0%
Unknown
1.7%
Non-resident
1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

Athletes
363
227 M · 136 W
Women athletes
37.5%
Athletic aid
$0
Total student aid
Budget
$2.2M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$0
$0
Recruiting expense
$4K
$4K
Head-coach salaries
$12K
$13K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 12

Football
74 M ·
$214K
Soccer
32 M · 23 W
$139K
Track and Field (Indoor)
34 M · 14 W
$65K
Track and Field (Outdoor)
31 M · 13 W
$54K
Baseball
37 M ·
$110K
Cross Country
23 M · 13 W
$67K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
2.06
13 offenses · 6,296 students

3-year trend

0.602 yrs ago0.921 yr ago2.06Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
23
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
10
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

Aggravated assault
5
Fondling
3
Robbery
2
Burglary
2
Rape
1

By location

13total
  • On campus6
  • Public property7

Includes 4 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

3
Domestic violence
0
Dating violence
3
Stalking
6 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons00
Drugs04
Liquor040

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

Student-to-faculty
11.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
180

Fitchburg State vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Fitchburg State selected for federal comparison reporting.

GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectFitchburg State University
55%5,892$14,262Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
53%87.8%9,727$16,383Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
61%88.0%5,745$13,381Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
50%95.9%6,230$15,996Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
48%83.6%4,002$16,114Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
54%81.4%4,588$16,721Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Peer group median54%87.8%5,819$16,055

Institutions like Fitchburg State

Explore the federal data for institutions in Fitchburg State's comparison group.

Fitchburg State Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research and Planning
Email
irp [at] fitchburgstate.edu
Phone
978-665-3145
Address
Sanders 104, Fitchburg State University, 160 Pearl Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420-2697

The office of Institutional Research and Planning supports the University in planning, goal-setting, assessment, institutional research and reporting, and student success initiatives.

Visit IR office page
Team
2 members
  • Dr. Rajeev Indira Nagaraju
    Director of Institutional Research
  • Dr. Rebecca Buonocore
    Associate Director of Institutional Research

Frequently asked questions about Fitchburg State University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Fitchburg State.

What is the graduation rate at Fitchburg State University?

Fitchburg State University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 55% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Fitchburg State University?

Fitchburg State University reports a total enrollment of 5,892 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Fitchburg State University?

The average net price at Fitchburg State University is $14,262 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Fitchburg State University?

Fitchburg State University's yield rate is 13.5%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Fitchburg State University located?

Fitchburg State University is located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts 01420-2697.

Who runs Institutional Research at Fitchburg State University?

Fitchburg State University's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research and Planning.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.

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