MA
Nichols College
4.31 incidents / 1,000 students
Dudley, MA · Clery Act 2024 · Private Nonprofit
Nichols College
Across 2022–2024, Nichols College reported 20 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count fell over that span (largest filed category: Aggravated Assault). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
- 4.31
- Incidents / 1k students
- #1,532
- Rank of 2,072
- #66
- MA rank
- 1,392
- Enrolled students
4.31 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
Nichols College reports 4.31 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 14% below Claremont McKenna College. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Claremont McKenna College (16.51/1k); Saint Martin's University (1.44/1k); Yeshivath Viznitz (0.00/1k); Haywood Community College (0.00/1k); Dominican University New York (7.16/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (0.00/1k); Massachusetts Maritime Academy (0.00/1k); University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (16.12/1k); College of Our Lady of the Elms (0.00/1k); Anna Maria College (4.16/1k); Gordon College (3.13/1k); Fisher College (2.42/1k); New England Law-Boston (0.00/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Aggravated Assault.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 4.31
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #1,532
- report fewer incidents than this campus
- 74%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 6
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 167260 · Nichols College 4.31/1k score rate · #1,532/2,072
RATE-HIGH · RANK-LOWER · ST-MID · BELOW-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-SMALL · FIRE-ZERO
- RATE-HIGH 4.31/1k
- RANK-LOWER #1,532/2,072
- ST-MID #66 in state
- BELOW-PEER Dominican University New York · 2.85 back
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-DOWN ↓ 33%
- CAT-LEAD Aggravated Assault
- ENR-SMALL 1,392
- FIRE-ZERO 0 fires filed
Nearest enrollment peer: Dominican University New York (+2.85/1k)
Nichols College sheet RATE-HIGH · RANK-LOWER · ST-MID · BELOW-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-SMALL · FIRE-ZERO · peer Dominican University New York. 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-HIGH · RANK-LOWER · ST-MID · BELOW-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-SMALL · FIRE-ZERO. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is Dominican University New York (+2.85/1k). National rank #1,532 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
Nichols College reports 4.31 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 14% below Claremont McKenna College. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Claremont McKenna College (16.51/1k); Saint Martin's University (1.44/1k); Yeshivath Viznitz (0.00/1k); Haywood Community College (0.00/1k); Dominican University New York (7.16/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (0.00/1k); Massachusetts Maritime Academy (0.00/1k); University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (16.12/1k); College of Our Lady of the Elms (0.00/1k); Anna Maria College (4.16/1k); Gordon College (3.13/1k); Fisher College (2.42/1k); New England Law-Boston (0.00/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Aggravated Assault.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around Nichols College
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest Nichols on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Yeshivath Viznitz · lowest peer 0
Yeshivath Viznitz — lowest peer
0 per 1,000 students
- Saint Martin's University · near 1.44
Saint Martin's University — near
1.44 per 1,000 students
- Nichols College · this campus 4.31
Nichols College — this campus
4.31 per 1,000 students
- Dominican University New York · near
Dominican University New York — near
7.16 per 1,000 students
- Claremont McKenna College · highest peer
Claremont McKenna College — highest peer
16.51 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around Nichols College's 4.31/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
Nichols College 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, Nichols College is larger than 50% and safer-reporting than 31% - the larger, higher-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 47, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 53, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 56, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 44, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 42, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 33
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 58, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 42
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 56
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 39, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 64, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 39
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 67, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 36, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 14
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 33, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 72, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 15: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 17
- Point 16: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 75, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 3
- Point 17: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 25, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 18: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 25, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 22
- Point 19: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 22, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 25
- Point 20: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 78, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 47
- Point 21: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 81, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 44
- Point 22: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 83, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 28
- Point 23: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 86, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 36
- Point 24: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 89, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 19
- Point 25: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 89, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 11
- Point 26: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 19, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 27: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 94, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 6
- Point 28: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 17, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 29: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 14, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 58
- Point 30: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 97, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 61
- Point 31: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 11, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 53
- Point 32: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 33: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 50
- Point 34: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 6, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 35: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 3, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 36: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Nichols College: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 50, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts School of Law | 273 | 0.00 | 0 | 64 |
| Hellenic College-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology | 274 | 0.00 | 3 | 64 |
| Longy School of Music of Bard College | 317 | 0.00 | 6 | 64 |
| Springfield College-Regional, Online, and Continuing Education | 380 | 0.00 | 8 | 64 |
| Franklin W Olin College of Engineering | 405 | 2.47 | 11 | 53 |
| New England College of Optometry | 515 | 1.94 | 14 | 58 |
| Laboure College of Healthcare | 530 | 0.00 | 17 | 64 |
| Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology | 744 | 0.00 | 19 | 64 |
| Hampshire College | 844 | 4.74 | 22 | 25 |
| Boston Architectural College | 853 | 0.00 | 25 | 64 |
| The New England Conservatory of Music | 853 | 5.86 | 25 | 22 |
| Nichols College (this campus) | 1,392 | 4.31 | 50 | 31 |
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 Nichols College rose from 5 to 6 (+20%). The increase shows up in Aggravated Assault (0 to 3), Rape (1 to 2) and Robbery (0 to 1). Falling over the same period: Burglary (2 to 0) and Fondling (2 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 Nichols College
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 6 Clery Act categories here: Aggravated Assault, Rape, Burglary, Fondling, Motor Vehicle Theft and Robbery.
The remaining 5 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, among them Arson, Incest, Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter and 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 onlyNichols College: Criminal Offenses by year
Declining 33% (9 → 6 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 9 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 6 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggravated Assault | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Rape | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Burglary | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Fondling | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Robbery | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 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 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 50 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 48 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 19 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
Nichols College 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
Claremont McKenna College
16.51 incidents / 1,000 students
WA
Saint Martin's University
1.44 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where Nichols College sits on price and outcomes
At $33,036, Nichols College's reported average net price is cheaper than 81% among 117 Massachusetts colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $24,402.
- $33,036
- average net price
- $24,402
- Massachusetts median
- 1.8×
- six-year earnings to median debt
- $13,677
- reported income-bracket spread
Net price moves with income here, but not sharply: $22,054 for families reporting under $30,000 against $35,731 above $110,000, a difference of $13,677. Aid narrows the gap without closing it, so the $33,036 average sits reasonably close to what most brackets report.
Median earnings six years after entry ($47,830) are less than 1.4 years of the reported net price. That is a thin margin, and it is the figure worth pressing the school on before enrolling.
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
- $42,705
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $42,705
- Avg Net Price
- $33,036
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 26%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 81%
- SAT Average
- 1140
- SAT Math Range
- 500-613
- ACT Average
- 23
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 63%
- Retention Rate
- 72%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $47,830
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $58,063
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 76%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 1,270 similar institutions by enrollment size.
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · 1,393 enrolled
Safety Score 16.51
Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA · 1,390 enrolled
Safety Score 1.44
Yeshivath Viznitz
Monsey, NY · 1,389 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Haywood Community College
Clyde, NC · 1,395 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Dominican University New York
Orangeburg, NY · 1,396 enrolled
Safety Score 7.16
Closest by National Rank
Nichols College (national rank #1532) sits near Aquinas College (#1533) and Missouri Western State University (#1531) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for Nichols College, 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)
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · 1,393 enrolled
Safety score 16.51
Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA · 1,390 enrolled
Safety score 1.44
Yeshivath Viznitz
Monsey, NY · 1,389 enrolled
Safety score 0.00
Belmont Abbey College
Belmont, NC · 1,388 enrolled
Safety score 5.76
Concordia University Texas
Austin, TX · 1,396 enrolled
Safety score 0.72
Dominican University New York
Orangeburg, NY · 1,396 enrolled
Safety score 7.16
Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ · 1,398 enrolled
Safety score 7.15
Luther College
Decorah, IA · 1,384 enrolled
Safety score 5.06
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
Missouri Western State University
Saint Joseph, MO · 3,716 enrolled
Safety score 4.31
Aquinas College
Grand Rapids, MI · 1,157 enrolled
Safety score 4.32
Sterling College
Sterling, KS · 694 enrolled
Safety score 4.32
Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo, MI · 1,166 enrolled
Safety score 4.29
Longwood University
Farmville, VA · 4,612 enrolled
Safety score 4.34
University of Nevada-Reno
Reno, NV · 23,024 enrolled
Safety score 4.34
Southern Virginia University
Buena Vista, VA · 936 enrolled
Safety score 4.27
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, IL · 1,837 enrolled
Safety score 4.35
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nichols College safe?
Nichols College has a safety score of 4.31 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #1,532 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: Claremont McKenna College (16.51/1k). Same-state same-level set: Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (0.00/1k); Massachusetts Maritime Academy (0.00/1k); University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (16.12/1k); College of Our Lady of the Elms (0.00/1k); Anna Maria College (4.16/1k); Gordon College (3.13/1k); Fisher College (2.42/1k); New England Law-Boston (0.00/1k).
What crimes are reported at Nichols College?
For calendar year 2024, Nichols College reported Aggravated Assault (3), Rape (2) and Robbery (1) in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does Nichols College compare to similar schools?
Nichols College reports 14% fewer 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than Claremont McKenna College. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: Claremont McKenna College (16.51/1k); Saint Martin's University (1.44/1k); Yeshivath Viznitz (0.00/1k); Haywood Community College (0.00/1k); Dominican University New York (7.16/1k). Same-state same-level set: Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (0.00/1k); Massachusetts Maritime Academy (0.00/1k); University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (16.12/1k); College of Our Lady of the Elms (0.00/1k); Anna Maria College (4.16/1k); Gordon College (3.13/1k); Fisher College (2.42/1k); New England Law-Boston (0.00/1k).
Does Nichols College have fire safety data?
Yes. Nichols College 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.