University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Should I go to University of Massachusetts Lowell or William Paterson University of New Jersey? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Massachusetts-Lowell or William Paterson University of New Jersey 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 Massachusetts Lowell vs. William Paterson University of New Jersey comparison
University of Massachusetts Lowell William Paterson University of New Jersey College 3 College 4
University of Massachusetts Lowell William Paterson University of New Jersey
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Overview

University of Massachusetts-Lowell William Paterson University of New Jersey
Location Lowell, MA Wayne, NJ
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,770 9,426
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #428 #596
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uml.edu wpunj.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Massachusetts-Lowell William Paterson University of New Jersey
Tuition (In State) $15,850 $14,690
Tuition (Out of State) $34,676 $24,004
Room & Board $15,424 $15,990
Avg Net Price $17,624 $16,999
Avg Grant Aid $12,647 $13,984
% Receiving Grant Aid 79% 83%

Admission

University of Massachusetts-Lowell William Paterson University of New Jersey
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,628 7,754
Admitted 10,764 7,174
Acceptance Rate 85.2% 92.5%
Enrolled % 19.4% 12.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 2.97
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/30
SAT Range 1180/1350 990/1345
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 15, 2026 Jun 1, 2026

Academics

University of Massachusetts-Lowell William Paterson University of New Jersey
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

University of Massachusetts-Lowell William Paterson University of New Jersey
Graduation Rate 50% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $46,500
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $253

Diversity

University of Massachusetts-Lowell William Paterson University of New Jersey
% Men 15% 7%
% Women 13% 24%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 64% 43%
% Black 6% 16%
% Hispanic 10% 27%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

University of Massachusetts-Lowell William Paterson University of New Jersey
% In-State 87% 89%
% Out-of-State 10% 6%

Campus

University of Massachusetts-Lowell William Paterson University of New Jersey
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell is larger than than William Paterson University of New Jersey based on total student enrollment (16,770 students vs. 9,426 students)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. William Paterson University of New Jersey Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or William Paterson University of New Jersey?

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell is 7.9% more expensive to attend than William Paterson University of New Jersey for in-state tuition ($15,850.00 vs. $14,690.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.5% higher at University of Massachusetts-Lowell than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($34,676.00 vs. $24,004.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at William Paterson University of New Jersey than University of Massachusetts-Lowell ($16,999 vs. $17,624)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Lowell are 3.7% lower than costs at William Paterson University of New Jersey ($15,424 vs. $15,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at William Paterson University of New Jersey than University of Massachusetts Lowell (83% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by William Paterson University of New Jersey students is 10.6% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Lowell ($13,984 vs. $12,647)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. William Paterson University of New Jersey Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or William Paterson University of New Jersey? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between William Paterson University of New Jersey or University of Massachusetts-Lowell .

  • The average SAT score at University of Massachusetts Lowell (1197) is 207 points higher than at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990)
  • Accepted freshman University of Massachusetts-Lowell students have a 0.7 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at William Paterson University of New Jersey (2.97)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than University of Massachusetts-Lowell (85.2%)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. William Paterson University of New Jersey Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or William Paterson University of New Jersey? 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 William Paterson University of New Jersey and University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

  • The graduation rate at University of Massachusetts-Lowell is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (50% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of Massachusetts Lowell earn on average $8,800 more per year than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,500)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($24,500 vs. $25,000)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($253 vs. $258)
  • More University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William Paterson University of New Jersey students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 59%)

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