Howard vs. TCNJ

Should I go to Howard University or The College of New Jersey? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Howard 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Rutgers NJIT Rowan University UD Maryland Rider University Seton Hall University Penn State Monmouth University Montclair State University Stevens George Washington
Howard University vs. The College of New Jersey comparison
Howard University The College of New Jersey College 3 College 4
Howard University The College of New Jersey
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Howard TCNJ
Location Washington, DC Ewing, NJ
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,416 7,652
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #249 #164
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu tcnj.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Howard TCNJ
Tuition (In State) $32,878 $14,706
Tuition (Out of State) $32,878 $20,589
Room & Board $16,474 $15,569
Avg Net Price $30,028 $22,379
Avg Grant Aid $21,422 $13,824
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 62%

Admission

 Howard TCNJ
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,342 11,668
Admitted 10,587 7,251
Acceptance Rate 34.9% 62.1%
Enrolled % 21.4% 21.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.29
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 22/28 25/31
SAT Range 1100/1298 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 15, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Howard TCNJ
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Howard TCNJ
Graduation Rate 63% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $240

Diversity

 Howard TCNJ
% Men 8% 2%
% Women 16% 6%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Medium
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 66%
% Black 91% 6%
% Hispanic 0% 12%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 0%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

 Howard TCNJ
% In-State 1% 95%
% Out-of-State 91% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Howard University is larger than than TCNJ based on total student enrollment (13,416 students vs. 7,652 students)

Howard vs. TCNJ Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or TCNJ?

  • Howard University is 123.6% more expensive to attend than TCNJ for in-state tuition ($32,878.00 vs. $14,706.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 59.7% higher at Howard than The College of New Jersey ($32,878.00 vs. $20,589.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The College of New Jersey than Howard ($22,379 vs. $30,028)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The College of New Jersey are 5.8% lower than costs at Howard University ($15,569 vs. $16,474)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than The College of New Jersey (100% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 55% larger than aid received The College of New Jersey ($21,422 vs. $13,824)

Howard vs. TCNJ Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The College of New Jersey (1227) is 122 points higher than at Howard (1105)
  • Incoming TCNJ students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Howard (24)
  • Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at TCNJ (3.29)
  • TCNJ has a higher acceptance rate (62.1%) than Howard (34.9%)

Howard vs. TCNJ Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Howard 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 Howard.

  • The graduation rate at TCNJ is higher than Howard University (87% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from The College of New Jersey earn on average $10,300 more per year than Howard graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $51,800)
  • The College of New Jersey students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • TCNJ graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More TCNJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 33%)

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