TCNJ vs. BC

Deciding between The College of New Jersey and Bridgewater College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

The College of New Jersey
Bridgewater College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • TCNJ Ewing, NJ
  • BC Bridgewater, VA
  • Setting
  • TCNJ Large Suburban
  • BC Small Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • TCNJ 8,141
  • BC 1,448
  • Type
  • TCNJ Public 4 Year
  • BC Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • TCNJ #177
  • BC #623
  • Religious Affiliation
  • TCNJ -
  • BC Church of Brethren
  • Status
  • TCNJ Non-profit
  • BC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • TCNJ
  • BC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • TCNJ $19,632
  • BC $16,090
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • TCNJ $25,752
  • BC $16,090
  • Room & Board
  • TCNJ $14,976
  • BC $14,850
  • Average Net Price
  • TCNJ $25,580
  • BC $11,316
  • Average Grant Aid
  • TCNJ $13,360
  • BC $47,288
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • TCNJ 59%
  • BC 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • TCNJ 12,766
  • BC 3,938
  • Admitted
  • TCNJ 7,952
  • BC 3,612
  • Acceptance Rate
  • TCNJ 62.3%
  • BC 91.7%
  • Enrolled
  • TCNJ 19.7%
  • BC 10.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • TCNJ 1240
  • BC 1190
  • Typical ACT score
  • TCNJ 28
  • BC
  • Average High School GPA
  • TCNJ 3.29
  • BC 3.61
  • Typical High School Grades
  • TCNJ B+
  • BC A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • TCNJ Difficult
  • BC Difficult
  • Applicant Competition
  • TCNJ Low
  • BC
  • ACT Range
  • TCNJ 26/31
  • BC
  • SAT Range
  • TCNJ 1140/1340
  • BC 1020/1360
  • Submit Test Scores
  • TCNJ Test optional
  • BC Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • TCNJ Feb 1, 2027
  • BC May 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • TCNJ 14:1
  • BC 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • TCNJ
    • Education (22%)
    • Business (17%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • English and Literature (8%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • BC
    • Business (17%)
    • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Work and Family Studies (8%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • TCNJ 87%
  • BC 59%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • TCNJ $62,100
  • BC $43,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • TCNJ 85%
  • BC 77%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • TCNJ $23,250
  • BC $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • TCNJ $240
  • BC $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • TCNJ 43%
  • BC 52%
  • % Women
  • TCNJ 57%
  • BC 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • TCNJ Medium
  • BC Low
  • HBCU
  • TCNJ No
  • BC No
  • % White
  • TCNJ 66%
  • BC 73%
  • % Asian
  • TCNJ 10%
  • BC 1%
  • % Black
  • TCNJ 6%
  • BC 11%
  • % Hispanic
  • TCNJ 12%
  • BC 5%
  • % Native American
  • TCNJ 0%
  • BC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • TCNJ 0%
  • BC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • TCNJ 0%
  • BC 5%
  • % International
  • TCNJ 0%
  • BC 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • TCNJ 5%
  • BC 4%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • TCNJ 95%
  • BC 80%
  • % Out-of-State
  • TCNJ 5%
  • BC 19%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • TCNJ Yes
  • BC Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • TCNJ No
  • BC No
  • Meal Plan
  • TCNJ Yes
  • BC Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • TCNJ No
  • BC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • TCNJ No
  • BC No

Comparable Facts

Compare The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ with Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

The College of New Jersey is larger than BC based on total student enrollment (8,141 students vs. 1,448 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • The College of New Jersey is located in Ewing, NJ (Large Suburban setting); Bridgewater College is in Bridgewater, VA (Small Suburban setting).
  • The College of New Jersey is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Bridgewater College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: The College of New Jersey 14:1; Bridgewater College 13:1.

TCNJ vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCNJ or BC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater College than TCNJ ($11,316 vs. $25,580).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater College are 0.8% lower than at The College of New Jersey ($14,850 vs. $14,976).
  • The College of New Jersey is 22% more expensive for in-state tuition than BC (about $3,542 more per year; $19,632.00 vs. $16,090.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 60% higher at TCNJ than at Bridgewater College (about $9,662 more per year; $25,752.00 vs. $16,090.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Bridgewater College than at The College of New Jersey (100% vs. 59%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 254% larger than aid received by The College of New Jersey students ($47,288 vs. $13,360).

TCNJ vs. BC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, TCNJ or BC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between BC and TCNJ.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at The College of New Jersey (1240) is 50 points higher than at BC (1190).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The College of New Jersey 1140/1340; Bridgewater College 1020/1360.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The College of New Jersey 26/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: TCNJ - Test optional; BC - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: TCNJ Feb 1, 2027; BC May 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at TCNJ (3.29).
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (91.7%) than TCNJ (62.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.7% at TCNJ vs. 10.1% at BC.

TCNJ vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for TCNJ and BC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • The College of New Jersey's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Bridgewater College's (59%).
  • Graduates from The College of New Jersey earn a median of about $19,000 more per year than BC graduates about ten years after starting college ($62,100 vs. $43,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, The College of New Jersey graduates have a $3,750 lower median loan debt than BC graduates ($23,250 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, TCNJ graduates have an estimated $39 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than BC graduates ($240 vs. $279).
  • More TCNJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BC students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 77%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.