TCNJ vs. UNCW

Should I go to The College of New Jersey or University of North Carolina at Wilmington? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if TCNJ or UNCW 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. University of North Carolina at Wilmington comparison
The College of New Jersey University of North Carolina at Wilmington College 3 College 4
The College of New Jersey University of North Carolina at Wilmington
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Overview

TCNJ UNCW
Location Ewing, NJ Wilmington, NC
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 7,629 17,843
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #175 #377
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tcnj.edu uncw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

TCNJ UNCW
Tuition (In State) $14,140 $4,443
Tuition (Out of State) $26,934 $19,063
Room & Board $14,144 $12,120
Avg Net Price $22,273 $18,709
Avg Grant Aid $11,826 $6,217
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 56%

Admission

TCNJ UNCW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,302 16,860
Admitted 6,638 11,605
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 68.8%
Enrolled % 23.8% 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.29 3.56
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 24/30 24/29
SAT Range 1140/1350 1220/1370
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

TCNJ UNCW
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

TCNJ UNCW
Graduation Rate 87% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $62,100 $44,700
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $240 $211

Diversity

TCNJ UNCW
% Men 42% 34%
% Women 58% 66%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 78%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

TCNJ UNCW
% In-State 95% 80%
% Out-of-State 5% 19%

Campus

TCNJ UNCW
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

  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington is larger than than TCNJ based on total student enrollment (17,843 students vs. 7,629 students)

TCNJ vs. UNCW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCNJ or UNCW?

  • The College of New Jersey is 218.3% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($14,140.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.3% higher at TCNJ than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($26,934.00 vs. $19,063.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Wilmington than TCNJ ($18,709 vs. $22,273)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 16.7% lower than costs at The College of New Jersey ($12,120 vs. $14,144)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The College of New Jersey than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (58% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The College of New Jersey students is 90.2% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($11,826 vs. $6,217)

TCNJ vs. UNCW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The College of New Jersey (1227) is 65 points higher than at UNCW (1162)
  • Incoming TCNJ students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UNCW (25)
  • Accepted freshman UNCW students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at TCNJ (3.29)
  • UNCW has a higher acceptance rate (68.8%) than TCNJ (64.4%)

TCNJ vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at TCNJ is higher than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (87% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from The College of New Jersey earn on average $17,400 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $44,700)
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than TCNJ graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,250)
  • UNCW graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than TCNJ graduates. ($211 vs. $240)
  • More TCNJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 64%)

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