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NJIT Penn State Seton Hall University Rutgers University-Camden SUNY Stony Brook Binghamton University UMass Montclair State University Rutgers University-Newark Rowan University Pitt Baruch| Rutgers University New Brunswick | The College of New Jersey | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Rutgers | TCNJ | ||
| Location | New Brunswick, NJ | Ewing, NJ | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 50,617 | 7,652 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #113 | #164 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | rutgers.edu | tcnj.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Rutgers | TCNJ | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $13,674 | $14,706 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $32,436 | $20,589 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,715 | $15,569 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,052 | $22,379 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $16,249 | $13,824 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 52% | 62% |
Admission |
Rutgers | TCNJ | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 43,347 | 11,668 | ||
| Admitted | 28,326 | 7,251 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 65.3% | 62.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.1% | 21.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.29 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 28/33 | 25/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1270/1480 | 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 |
Rutgers | TCNJ | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Rutgers | TCNJ | ||
| Graduation Rate | 77% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $66,200 | $62,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 68% | 85% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,215 | $23,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $229 | $240 |
Diversity |
Rutgers | TCNJ | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 10% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 18% | 6% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 66% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 12% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 0% | ||
| % International | 7% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 5% |
Students |
Rutgers | TCNJ | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 84% | 95% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 8% | 5% | ||
Campus |
Rutgers | 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
- Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than TCNJ based on total student enrollment (50,617 students vs. 7,652 students)
Rutgers vs. TCNJ Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or TCNJ?
- The College of New Jersey is 7.5% more expensive to attend than Rutgers for in-state tuition ($14,706.00 vs. $13,674.00)
- Out of state tuition is 57.5% higher at Rutgers than The College of New Jersey ($32,436.00 vs. $20,589.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than TCNJ ($19,052 vs. $22,379)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 5.8% lower than costs at The College of New Jersey ($14,715 vs. $15,569)
- More students receive financial grant aid at The College of New Jersey than Rutgers University New Brunswick (62% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students is 17.5% larger than aid received The College of New Jersey ($16,249 vs. $13,824)
Rutgers vs. TCNJ Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Rutgers or TCNJ? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between TCNJ or Rutgers .
- The average SAT score at The College of New Jersey (1227) is 2 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
- Accepted freshman Rutgers students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at TCNJ (3.29)
- Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (65.3%) than TCNJ (62.1%)
Rutgers vs. TCNJ Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Rutgers 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 Rutgers.
- The graduation rate at TCNJ is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick (87% vs. 77%)
- Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn on average $4,100 more per year than TCNJ graduates after ten years. ($66,200 vs. $62,100)
- Rutgers University New Brunswick students graduate with a $1,035 lower median federal student loan debt than TCNJ graduates. ($22,215 vs. $23,250)
- Rutgers graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than TCNJ graduates. ($229 vs. $240)
- More TCNJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 68%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/