Nichols College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Dudley, Massachusetts. It enrolls 1,163 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorNew England Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Fair
51/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes47
Value12
Affordability21
Selectivity42
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 80.8%, Nichols College is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
80.8%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1028 – 1236
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Nichols College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
8.4 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Nichols College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $33,036 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$33,036
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
26%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
69%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$42,705
Room & Board (on-campus)
$15,800
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,700
Books & Supplies
$1,400
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$2,500
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,100
Total Cost of Attendance
$58,310
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$22,054
$30,001 – $48,000
$24,749
$48,001 – $75,000
$31,978
$75,001 – $110,000
$33,851
Over $110,000
$35,731
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,50010%percentile
$6,05625%percentile
$27,000Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$33,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $19,500
↓ $7,500
No Pell $17,809
↓ $9,191
Dependent students $20,000
↓ $7,000
Independent students $10,730
↓ $16,270
Female students $20,000
↓ $7,000
Male students $17,500
↓ $9,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($27,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
56% of full-time students who enrolled at Nichols College graduate within six years, and 72% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
56%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
72%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Nichols College earn a median of $58,063 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$58,063
Earning > $25K
78%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$48,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$56,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$50,200
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$51,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$55,900
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,400, about 13% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
9.8 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 83% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Nichols College is home to 1,163 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 32% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
1,163
Part-Time
8%
First-Generation
32%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 73.0%849
Hispanic 10.4%121
Black 7.7%90
Other 3.8%44
International 2.8%32
Asian 1.3%15
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Nichols College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large SuburbDudley, Massachusetts
Housing
Mostly residential805 beds on campus
Adult Learners
6%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Nichols College offers
a varied set of programs:
19 distinct programs across
6 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Nichols College is 15:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
15:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$87M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$92,884
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
49 instructional faculty across 3 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
6
12%
$110,975
Associate Professors
20
41%
$98,134
Assistant Professors
23
47%
$83,601
Pros & Cons of Nichols College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Nichols College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Reasonable class sizes
Tight-knit, close community feel
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Above-average net price
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Modest first-year retention
Most students take on federal loans
Best for:
Based on the data, Nichols College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nichols College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Nichols College.
Is Nichols College hard to get into?
Nichols College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 80.8%.
What is the acceptance rate at Nichols College?
Nichols College has an acceptance rate of 80.8%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Nichols College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Nichols College scored between 1028 and 1236 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
How much does Nichols College cost?
The average net price after aid at Nichols College is $33,036 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Nichols College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $58,063 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $33,036 per year. That's roughly 1.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Nichols College known for?
Nichols College is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Business, Kinesiology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Nichols College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Nichols College are $58,063, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Nichols College accredited?
Yes. Nichols College is accredited by the New England Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Nichols College?
Nichols College enrolls 1,163 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Nichols College?
Nichols College graduates 56% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Nichols College a public or private college?
Nichols College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Nichols College located?
Nichols College is located in Dudley, Massachusetts.
What programs does Nichols College offer?
Nichols College offers 19 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Business, Kinesiology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Nichols College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Nichols College is 15:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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