TCNJ vs. Wilkes

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

TCNJ Wilkes
Location Ewing, NJ Wilkes-Barre, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 7,629 5,207
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #175 #478
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tcnj.edu wilkes.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

TCNJ Wilkes
Tuition (In State) $14,140 $39,134
Tuition (Out of State) $26,934 $39,134
Room & Board $14,144 $15,850
Avg Net Price $22,273 $27,918
Avg Grant Aid $11,826 $29,441
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 97%

Admission

TCNJ Wilkes
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,302 4,798
Admitted 6,638 4,517
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 94.1%
Enrolled % 23.8% 10.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.29 3.56
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/30 21/26
SAT Range 1140/1350 1060/1260
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

Academics

TCNJ Wilkes
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

TCNJ Wilkes
Graduation Rate 87% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $62,100 $58,200
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $240 $268

Diversity

TCNJ Wilkes
% Men 42% 31%
% Women 58% 69%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 73%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 0% 9%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

TCNJ Wilkes
% In-State 95% 75%
% Out-of-State 5% 24%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The College of New Jersey is larger than than Wilkes based on total student enrollment (7,629 students vs. 5,207 students)

TCNJ vs. Wilkes Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCNJ or Wilkes?

  • Wilkes University is 176.8% more expensive to attend than TCNJ for in-state tuition ($39,134.00 vs. $14,140.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.3% higher at Wilkes than The College of New Jersey ($39,134.00 vs. $26,934.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The College of New Jersey than Wilkes ($22,273 vs. $27,918)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The College of New Jersey are 12.1% lower than costs at Wilkes University ($14,144 vs. $15,850)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wilkes University than The College of New Jersey (97% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wilkes University students is 149% larger than aid received The College of New Jersey ($29,441 vs. $11,826)

TCNJ vs. Wilkes Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The College of New Jersey (1227) is 174 points higher than at Wilkes (1053)
  • Accepted freshman Wilkes students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at TCNJ (3.29)
  • Wilkes has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than TCNJ (64.4%)

TCNJ vs. Wilkes Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at TCNJ is higher than Wilkes University (87% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from The College of New Jersey earn on average $3,900 more per year than Wilkes graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $58,200)
  • The College of New Jersey students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Wilkes graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,000)
  • TCNJ graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Wilkes graduates. ($240 vs. $268)
  • More TCNJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wilkes 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/