Kean vs. TCNJ

Should I go to Kean University or The College of New Jersey? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Kean 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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Kean University vs. The College of New Jersey comparison
Kean University The College of New Jersey College 3 College 4
Kean University The College of New Jersey
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Overview

 Kean TCNJ
Location Union, NJ Ewing, NJ
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,352 7,652
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #696 #164
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kean.edu tcnj.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Kean TCNJ
Tuition (In State) $11,135 $14,706
Tuition (Out of State) $18,785 $20,589
Room & Board $16,592 $15,569
Avg Net Price $11,593 $22,379
Avg Grant Aid $12,982 $13,824
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 62%

Admission

 Kean TCNJ
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,142 11,668
Admitted 9,335 7,251
Acceptance Rate 76.9% 62.1%
Enrolled % 21.1% 21.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.29
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/31
SAT Range 1020/1198 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 Aug 15, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Kean TCNJ
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 Kean TCNJ
Graduation Rate 49% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $258 $240

Diversity

 Kean TCNJ
% Men 4% 2%
% Women 12% 6%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 36% 66%
% Black 20% 6%
% Hispanic 27% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 8% 5%

Students

 Kean TCNJ
% In-State 89% 95%
% Out-of-State 4% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Kean University is larger than than TCNJ based on total student enrollment (13,352 students vs. 7,652 students)

Kean vs. TCNJ Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kean or TCNJ?

  • The College of New Jersey is 32.1% more expensive to attend than Kean for in-state tuition ($14,706.00 vs. $11,135.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.6% higher at TCNJ than Kean University ($20,589.00 vs. $18,785.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kean University than TCNJ ($11,593 vs. $22,379)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The College of New Jersey are 6.6% lower than costs at Kean University ($15,569 vs. $16,592)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kean University than The College of New Jersey (91% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The College of New Jersey students is 6.5% larger than aid received Kean University ($13,824 vs. $12,982)

Kean vs. TCNJ Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The College of New Jersey (1227) is 299 points higher than at Kean (928)
  • Incoming TCNJ students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Kean (19)
  • Accepted freshman TCNJ students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.29) than students at Kean (3.2)
  • Kean has a higher acceptance rate (76.9%) than TCNJ (62.1%)

Kean vs. TCNJ Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kean 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 Kean.

  • The graduation rate at TCNJ is higher than Kean University (87% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from The College of New Jersey earn on average $15,700 more per year than Kean graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $46,400)
  • The College of New Jersey students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Kean graduates. ($23,250 vs. $25,000)
  • TCNJ graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Kean graduates. ($240 vs. $258)
  • More TCNJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kean students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 52%)

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