MA
Fitchburg State University
1.87 incidents / 1,000 students
Fitchburg, MA · Clery Act 2024 · Public
Fitchburg State University
Across 2022–2024, Fitchburg State University reported 15 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count rose over that span (largest filed category: Rape). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: Merrimack College.
- 1.87
- Incidents / 1k students
- #988
- Rank of 2,072
- #39
- MA rank
- 5,892
- Enrolled students
1.87 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
Fitchburg State University reports 1.87 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 129% above Sonoma State University. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Sonoma State University (4.07/1k); Tri-County Technical College (0.00/1k); Walters State Community College (0.00/1k); Central Carolina Community College (0.00/1k); Laurel Ridge Community College (0.00/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Merrimack College (1.88/1k); MCPHS University (0.17/1k); Worcester State University (1.91/1k); Salem State University (4.82/1k); Suffolk University (1.42/1k); Bentley University (2.44/1k); Emerson College (1.71/1k); Brandeis University (2.31/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Rape.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 1.87
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #988
- safer than ranked campuses its size
- 52%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 6
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 165820 · Fitchburg State University 1.87/1k score rate · #988/2,072
RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO
- RATE-LOW 1.87/1k
- RANK-MID #988/2,072
- ST-MID #39 in state
- ABOVE-PEER Tri-County Technical College · +1.87
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-UP ↑ 50%
- CAT-LEAD Rape
- ENR-MID 5,892
- FIRE-ZERO 0 fires filed
Nearest enrollment peer: Tri-County Technical College (-1.87/1k)
Fitchburg State University sheet RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO · peer Tri-County Technical College. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.
Clery plate RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is Tri-County Technical College (-1.87/1k). National rank #988 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
Fitchburg State University reports 1.87 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 129% above Sonoma State University. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Sonoma State University (4.07/1k); Tri-County Technical College (0.00/1k); Walters State Community College (0.00/1k); Central Carolina Community College (0.00/1k); Laurel Ridge Community College (0.00/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Merrimack College (1.88/1k); MCPHS University (0.17/1k); Worcester State University (1.91/1k); Salem State University (4.82/1k); Suffolk University (1.42/1k); Bentley University (2.44/1k); Emerson College (1.71/1k); Brandeis University (2.31/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Rape.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around Fitchburg State University
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest Fitchburg on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Tri-County Technical College · lowest peer 0
Tri-County Technical College — lowest peer
0 per 1,000 students
- Walters State Community College · near 0
Walters State Community College — near
0 per 1,000 students
- Central Carolina Community College · near 0
Central Carolina Community College — near
0 per 1,000 students
- Fitchburg State University · this campus
Fitchburg State University — this campus
1.87 per 1,000 students
- Sonoma State University · highest peer
Sonoma State University — highest peer
4.07 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around Fitchburg State University's 1.87/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
Fitchburg State University increased from 5 to 6 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesSignature insight · size does not equal danger
Campus size vs reported safety rate
Among 37 MA 4-year peers in this comparison, Fitchburg State University is larger than 81% and safer-reporting than 72% - the larger, safer-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.
Read the chart as text
- Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 78, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 69
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 83, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 97
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 75, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 67
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 86, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 25
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 89, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 83
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 72, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 53
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 78
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 67, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 58
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 64, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 39
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 92
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 58, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 44
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 92, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 56
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 56, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 3
- Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 53, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 61
- Point 15: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 50, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Point 16: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 47, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 36
- Point 17: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 94, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 81
- Point 18: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 44, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 86
- Point 19: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 97, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
- Point 20: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 42, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 14
- Point 21: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 39, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 22: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 36, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 22
- Point 23: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 33, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 17
- Point 24: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 100
- Point 25: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 28, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
- Point 26: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 25, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 27: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 22, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 94
- Point 28: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 19, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 50
- Point 29: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 17, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 75
- Point 30: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 14, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 6
- Point 31: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 42
- Point 32: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 19
- Point 33: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 11
- Point 34: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 6, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 33
- Point 35: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 3, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 28
- Point 36: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 47
- Fitchburg State University: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 81, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts College of Art and Design | 1,989 | 3.02 | 0 | 47 |
| Curry College | 1,994 | 4.51 | 3 | 28 |
| Hult International Business School | 2,008 | 3.98 | 6 | 33 |
| American International College | 2,037 | 5.89 | 8 | 19 |
| Assumption University | 2,037 | 6.87 | 8 | 11 |
| Williams College | 2,164 | 9.24 | 14 | 6 |
| Mount Holyoke College | 2,275 | 1.76 | 17 | 75 |
| Wellesley College | 2,407 | 2.49 | 19 | 50 |
| Regis College | 2,517 | 0.40 | 22 | 94 |
| Lesley University | 2,557 | 1.96 | 25 | 64 |
| Springfield College | 2,599 | 9.23 | 28 | 8 |
| Fitchburg State University (this campus) | 5,892 | 1.87 | 81 | 72 |
Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.
What changed between 2023 and 2024
Reported on-campus incidents at Fitchburg State University rose from 5 to 6 (+20%). The increase shows up in Fondling (0 to 3) and Burglary (0 to 2). Falling over the same period: Rape (4 to 1) and Motor Vehicle Theft (1 to 0).
This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.
What actually gets reported at Fitchburg State University
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 4 Clery Act categories here: Rape, Fondling, Burglary and Motor Vehicle Theft.
The remaining 7 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, among them Aggravated Assault, Arson, Incest and Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.
Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlyFitchburg State University: Criminal Offenses by year
Rising 50% (4 → 6 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 6 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rape | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Fondling | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Burglary | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
9 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 4 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 40 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 56 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 0 | 1 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 32 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
Fitchburg State University vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).
CA
Sonoma State University
4.07 incidents / 1,000 students
SC
Tri-County Technical College
0.00 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where Fitchburg State University sits on price and outcomes
At $14,262, Fitchburg State University's reported average net price is cheaper than 17% among 117 Massachusetts colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $24,402.
- $14,262
- average net price
- $24,402
- Massachusetts median
- 1.7×
- six-year earnings to median debt
- $10,919
- reported income-bracket spread
Aid here is steeply income-scaled. Families reporting under $30,000 of income record a net price of $10,204, while those above $110,000 record $21,123 - roughly 2.1 times as much. A published average of $14,262 therefore describes very few families well; the bracket nearest your own income is the more useful figure.
Median reported earnings six years after entry are $41,999, roughly 2.9 times a year of net price. That is a workable ratio, though it says nothing about how long the programme takes to finish.
Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $11,346
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $17,426
- Avg Net Price
- $14,262
- Median Debt
- $24,239
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 33%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 87%
- SAT Average
- 1150
- SAT Math Range
- 520-610
- ACT Average
- 22
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 54%
- Retention Rate
- 69%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $41,999
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $53,874
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 76%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 1,012 similar institutions by enrollment size.
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA · 5,891 enrolled
Safety Score 4.07
Tri-County Technical College
Pendleton, SC · 5,890 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Walters State Community College
Morristown, TN · 5,899 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Central Carolina Community College
Sanford, NC · 5,882 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Laurel Ridge Community College
Middletown, VA · 5,902 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Closest by National Rank
Fitchburg State University (national rank #988) sits near University of Alabama in Huntsville (#989) and Perry Technical Institute (#987) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Huntsville, AL
National Rank #989
Perry Technical Institute
Yakima, WA
National Rank #987
Florida Southern College
Lakeland, FL
National Rank #990
Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, FL
National Rank #986
Merrimack College
North Andover, MA
National Rank #991
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for Fitchburg State University, both outside MA so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).
Similar enrollment (nationwide)
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA · 5,891 enrolled
Safety score 4.07
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Kearney, NE · 5,881 enrolled
Safety score 3.74
Aurora University
Aurora, IL · 5,923 enrolled
Safety score 0.68
College of Central Florida
Ocala, FL · 5,928 enrolled
Safety score 1.35
Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Durant, OK · 5,851 enrolled
Safety score 0.85
Oral Roberts University
Tulsa, OK · 5,936 enrolled
Safety score 0.51
Trinity Valley Community College
Athens, TX · 5,961 enrolled
Safety score 0.50
Lake-Sumter State College
Leesburg, FL · 5,810 enrolled
Safety score 0.00
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Huntsville, AL · 8,564 enrolled
Safety score 1.87
Florida Southern College
Lakeland, FL · 3,211 enrolled
Safety score 1.87
Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, FL · 20,910 enrolled
Safety score 1.87
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY · 31,903 enrolled
Safety score 1.88
Chemeketa Community College
Salem, OR · 8,098 enrolled
Safety score 1.85
California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, CA · 16,237 enrolled
Safety score 1.85
Salem University
Salem, WV · 1,083 enrolled
Safety score 1.85
Manhattan School of Music
New York, NY · 1,084 enrolled
Safety score 1.84
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fitchburg State University safe?
Fitchburg State University has a safety score of 1.87 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #988 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: Sonoma State University (4.07/1k). Same-state same-level set: Merrimack College (1.88/1k); MCPHS University (0.17/1k); Worcester State University (1.91/1k); Salem State University (4.82/1k); Suffolk University (1.42/1k); Bentley University (2.44/1k); Emerson College (1.71/1k); Brandeis University (2.31/1k).
What crimes are reported at Fitchburg State University?
For calendar year 2024, Fitchburg State University reported Fondling (3), Burglary (2) and Rape (1) in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does Fitchburg State University compare to similar schools?
Fitchburg State University reports 129% more 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than Sonoma State University. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: Sonoma State University (4.07/1k); Tri-County Technical College (0.00/1k); Walters State Community College (0.00/1k); Central Carolina Community College (0.00/1k); Laurel Ridge Community College (0.00/1k). Same-state same-level set: Merrimack College (1.88/1k); MCPHS University (0.17/1k); Worcester State University (1.91/1k); Salem State University (4.82/1k); Suffolk University (1.42/1k); Bentley University (2.44/1k); Emerson College (1.71/1k); Brandeis University (2.31/1k).
Does Fitchburg State University have fire safety data?
Yes. Fitchburg State University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. No fires were reported in the most recent year.
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice.