Elms College vs. TCNJ

Should I go to College of Our Lady of the Elms or The College of New Jersey? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Elms College or TCNJ is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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College of Our Lady of the Elms vs. The College of New Jersey comparison
College of Our Lady of the Elms The College of New Jersey College 3 College 4
College of Our Lady of the Elms The College of New Jersey
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Overview

 Elms College TCNJ
Location Chicopee, MA Ewing, NJ
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,332 7,652
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #374 #164
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website elms.edu tcnj.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Elms College TCNJ
Tuition (In State) $40,095 $14,706
Tuition (Out of State) $40,095 $20,589
Room & Board $15,150 $15,569
Avg Net Price $22,311 $22,379
Avg Grant Aid $31,015 $13,824
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 62%

Admission

 Elms College TCNJ
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,442 11,668
Admitted 1,264 7,251
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 62.1%
Enrolled % 15.5% 21.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.29
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/31
SAT Range 1150/1320 1140/1340
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Elms College TCNJ
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (49%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • History (5%)
  • General Studies (4%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Elms College TCNJ
Graduation Rate 58% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,300 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $258 $240

Diversity

 Elms College TCNJ
% Men 4% 2%
% Women 18% 6%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 66%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 0%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 24% 5%

Students

 Elms College TCNJ
% In-State 71% 95%
% Out-of-State 26% 5%

Campus

 Elms College TCNJ
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • The College of New Jersey is larger than than Elms College based on total student enrollment (7,652 students vs. 1,332 students)

Elms College vs. TCNJ Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Elms College or TCNJ?

  • College of Our Lady of the Elms is 172.6% more expensive to attend than TCNJ for in-state tuition ($40,095.00 vs. $14,706.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 94.7% higher at Elms College than The College of New Jersey ($40,095.00 vs. $20,589.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Our Lady of the Elms than TCNJ ($22,311 vs. $22,379)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Our Lady of the Elms are 2.8% lower than costs at The College of New Jersey ($15,150 vs. $15,569)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Our Lady of the Elms than The College of New Jersey (100% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Our Lady of the Elms students is 124.4% larger than aid received The College of New Jersey ($31,015 vs. $13,824)

Elms College vs. TCNJ Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Elms College or TCNJ? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between TCNJ or Elms College .

  • The average SAT score at The College of New Jersey (1227) is 251 points higher than at Elms College (976)
  • Incoming TCNJ students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Elms College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Elms College students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at TCNJ (3.29)
  • Elms College has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than TCNJ (62.1%)

Elms College vs. TCNJ Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Elms College or TCNJ? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between TCNJ and Elms College.

  • The graduation rate at TCNJ is higher than College of Our Lady of the Elms (87% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from The College of New Jersey earn on average $15,800 more per year than Elms College graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $46,300)
  • The College of New Jersey students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Elms College graduates. ($23,250 vs. $25,000)
  • TCNJ graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Elms College graduates. ($240 vs. $258)
  • More TCNJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Elms College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 61%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/