UMBC vs. TCNJ

Should I go to University of Maryland Baltimore County or The College of New Jersey? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMBC or TCNJ 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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University of Maryland Baltimore County vs. The College of New Jersey comparison
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University of Maryland Baltimore County The College of New Jersey
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Overview

 UMBC TCNJ
Location Baltimore, MD Ewing, NJ
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,148 7,652
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #263 #164
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu tcnj.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMBC TCNJ
Tuition (In State) $9,238 $14,706
Tuition (Out of State) $26,594 $20,589
Room & Board $14,204 $15,569
Avg Net Price $17,704 $22,379
Avg Grant Aid $9,956 $13,824
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 62%

Admission

 UMBC TCNJ
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,150 11,668
Admitted 9,762 7,251
Acceptance Rate 74.2% 62.1%
Enrolled % 20.3% 21.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.29
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 23/30 25/31
SAT Range 1220/1410 1140/1340
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

 UMBC TCNJ
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 UMBC TCNJ
Graduation Rate 57% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $219 $240

Diversity

 UMBC TCNJ
% Men 14% 2%
% Women 12% 6%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 44% 66%
% Black 17% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

 UMBC TCNJ
% In-State 85% 95%
% Out-of-State 6% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is larger than than TCNJ based on total student enrollment (14,148 students vs. 7,652 students)

UMBC vs. TCNJ Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or TCNJ?

  • The College of New Jersey is 59.2% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($14,706.00 vs. $9,238.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.2% higher at UMBC than The College of New Jersey ($26,594.00 vs. $20,589.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than TCNJ ($17,704 vs. $22,379)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 9.6% lower than costs at The College of New Jersey ($14,204 vs. $15,569)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than The College of New Jersey (87% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The College of New Jersey students is 38.9% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($13,824 vs. $9,956)

UMBC vs. TCNJ Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The College of New Jersey (1227) is 18 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
  • Incoming TCNJ students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UMBC (27)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.68 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at TCNJ (3.29)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than TCNJ (62.1%)

UMBC vs. TCNJ Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at TCNJ is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (87% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from The College of New Jersey earn on average $2,600 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $59,500)
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County students graduate with a $2,053 lower median federal student loan debt than TCNJ graduates. ($21,197 vs. $23,250)
  • UMBC graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than TCNJ graduates. ($219 vs. $240)
  • More TCNJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 67%)

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