TCNJ vs. WCU

Should I go to The College of New Jersey or West Chester University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if TCNJ or WCU 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. West Chester University of Pennsylvania comparison
The College of New Jersey West Chester University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
The College of New Jersey West Chester University of Pennsylvania
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Overview

 TCNJ WCU
Location Ewing, NJ West Chester, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 7,652 17,076
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #164 #532
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tcnj.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 TCNJ WCU
Tuition (In State) $14,706 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $20,589 $19,290
Room & Board $15,569 $12,474
Avg Net Price $22,379 $21,684
Avg Grant Aid $13,824 $5,503
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 70%

Admission

 TCNJ WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,668 16,467
Admitted 7,251 13,042
Acceptance Rate 62.1% 79.2%
Enrolled % 21.3% 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.29 3.43
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/31 24/28
SAT Range 1140/1340 1100/1270
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

 TCNJ WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 TCNJ WCU
Graduation Rate 87% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $62,100 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $240 $242

Diversity

 TCNJ WCU
% Men 2% 5%
% Women 6% 11%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 78%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 12% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

 TCNJ WCU
% In-State 95% 87%
% Out-of-State 5% 13%

Campus

 TCNJ WCU
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

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than TCNJ based on total student enrollment (17,076 students vs. 7,652 students)

TCNJ vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCNJ or WCU?

  • The College of New Jersey is 90.6% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($14,706.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.7% higher at TCNJ than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($20,589.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than TCNJ ($21,684 vs. $22,379)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 24.8% lower than costs at The College of New Jersey ($12,474 vs. $15,569)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than The College of New Jersey (70% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The College of New Jersey students is 151.2% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($13,824 vs. $5,503)

TCNJ vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The College of New Jersey (1227) is 155 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming TCNJ students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at WCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at TCNJ (3.29)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (79.2%) than TCNJ (62.1%)

TCNJ vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at TCNJ is higher than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (87% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from The College of New Jersey earn on average $13,100 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $49,000)
  • The College of New Jersey students graduate with a $250 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $23,500)
  • TCNJ graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($240 vs. $242)
  • More TCNJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 75%)

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