TCNJ vs. City College of New York

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

TCNJ City College of New York
Location Ewing, NJ New York, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 7,652 15,012
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #164 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tcnj.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

TCNJ City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $14,706 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $20,589 $14,880
Room & Board $15,569 $18,104
Avg Net Price $22,379 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $13,824 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 86%

Admission

TCNJ City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,668 31,988
Admitted 7,251 18,576
Acceptance Rate 62.1% 58.1%
Enrolled % 21.3% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.29 3.2
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/31
SAT Range 1140/1340 1220/1460
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

TCNJ City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

TCNJ City College of New York
Graduation Rate 87% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $62,100 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $240 $117

Diversity

TCNJ City College of New York
% Men 2% 7%
% Women 6% 11%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 15%
% Black 6% 16%
% Hispanic 12% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

TCNJ City College of New York
% In-State 95% 87%
% Out-of-State 5% 0%

Campus

TCNJ City College of New York
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY City College is larger than than TCNJ based on total student enrollment (15,012 students vs. 7,652 students)

TCNJ vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCNJ or City College of New York?

  • The College of New Jersey is 112.2% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($14,706.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.4% higher at TCNJ than CUNY City College ($20,589.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than TCNJ ($4,599 vs. $22,379)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The College of New Jersey are 16.3% lower than costs at CUNY City College ($15,569 vs. $18,104)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than The College of New Jersey (86% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The College of New Jersey students is 49.7% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($13,824 vs. $9,236)

TCNJ vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The College of New Jersey (1227) is 102 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman TCNJ students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.29) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • TCNJ has a higher acceptance rate (62.1%) than City College of New York (58.1%)

TCNJ vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TCNJ or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and TCNJ.

  • The graduation rate at TCNJ is higher than CUNY City College (87% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from The College of New Jersey earn on average $12,300 more per year than City College of New York graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $49,800)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $11,850 lower median federal student loan debt than TCNJ graduates. ($11,400 vs. $23,250)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $123 less per month on federal student loans than TCNJ graduates. ($117 vs. $240)
  • More TCNJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York 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/