TCNJ vs. BC

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

 TCNJ BC
Location Ewing, NJ Bridgewater, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small Suburban
Enrollment 7,652 1,436
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #164 #603
Religious Affiliation - Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tcnj.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 TCNJ BC
Tuition (In State) $14,706 $40,300
Tuition (Out of State) $20,589 $40,300
Room & Board $15,569 $14,370
Avg Net Price $22,379 $19,660
Avg Grant Aid $13,824 $36,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 100%

Admission

 TCNJ BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,668 3,984
Admitted 7,251 3,618
Acceptance Rate 62.1% 90.8%
Enrolled % 21.3% 11.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.29 3.61
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/31 28/29
SAT Range 1140/1340 1070/1375
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, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

 TCNJ BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

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

Diversity

 TCNJ BC
% Men 2% 1%
% Women 6% 2%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 73%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 12% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 5%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 4%

Students

 TCNJ BC
% In-State 95% 69%
% Out-of-State 5% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The College of New Jersey is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (7,652 students vs. 1,436 students)

TCNJ vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCNJ or BC?

  • Bridgewater College is 174% more expensive to attend than TCNJ for in-state tuition ($40,300.00 vs. $14,706.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 95.7% higher at BC than The College of New Jersey ($40,300.00 vs. $20,589.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater College than TCNJ ($19,660 vs. $22,379)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater College are 8.3% lower than costs at The College of New Jersey ($14,370 vs. $15,569)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College than The College of New Jersey (100% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 162.9% larger than aid received The College of New Jersey ($36,350 vs. $13,824)

TCNJ vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The College of New Jersey (1227) is 193 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming TCNJ students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at BC (24)
  • 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 (90.8%) than TCNJ (62.1%)

TCNJ vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TCNJ or BC? 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 BC and TCNJ.

  • The graduation rate at TCNJ is higher than Bridgewater College (87% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from The College of New Jersey earn on average $19,000 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $43,100)
  • The College of New Jersey students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • TCNJ graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans 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/