Wheaton College vs. William Paterson University of New Jersey

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

Wheaton College William Paterson University of New Jersey
Location Norton, MA Wayne, NJ
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,778 9,426
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #177 #596
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheatoncollege.edu wpunj.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wheaton College William Paterson University of New Jersey
Tuition (In State) $61,600 $14,690
Tuition (Out of State) $61,600 $24,004
Room & Board $15,430 $15,990
Avg Net Price $31,638 $16,999
Avg Grant Aid $45,217 $13,984
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 83%

Admission

Wheaton College William Paterson University of New Jersey
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,702 7,754
Admitted 3,354 7,174
Acceptance Rate 71.3% 92.5%
Enrolled % 15.6% 12.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 2.97
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/33
SAT Range 1210/1420 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

Wheaton College William Paterson University of New Jersey
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Psychology (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Ethnic Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Wheaton College William Paterson University of New Jersey
Graduation Rate 77% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $46,500
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $24,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $253

Diversity

Wheaton College William Paterson University of New Jersey
% Men 1% 7%
% Women 1% 24%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 43%
% Black 6% 16%
% Hispanic 7% 27%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 10% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Wheaton College William Paterson University of New Jersey
% In-State 38% 89%
% Out-of-State 57% 6%

Campus

Wheaton College 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

  • William Paterson University of New Jersey is larger than than Wheaton College based on total student enrollment (9,426 students vs. 1,778 students)

Wheaton College vs. William Paterson University of New Jersey Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or William Paterson University of New Jersey?

  • Wheaton College is 319.3% more expensive to attend than William Paterson University of New Jersey for in-state tuition ($61,600.00 vs. $14,690.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 156.6% higher at Wheaton College than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($61,600.00 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 Wheaton College ($16,999 vs. $31,638)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 3.6% lower than costs at William Paterson University of New Jersey ($15,430 vs. $15,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than William Paterson University of New Jersey (96% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wheaton College students is 223.3% larger than aid received William Paterson University of New Jersey ($45,217 vs. $13,984)

Wheaton College vs. William Paterson University of New Jersey Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Wheaton College 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 Wheaton College .

  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) 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 Wheaton College (71.3%)

Wheaton College vs. William Paterson University of New Jersey Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College 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 Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (77% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Wheaton College earn on average $7,200 more per year than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $46,500)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Wheaton College graduates. ($24,500 vs. $26,000)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Wheaton College graduates. ($253 vs. $268)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William Paterson University of New Jersey students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 59%)

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