William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. CNU

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

William Paterson University of New Jersey CNU
Location Wayne, NJ Newport News, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 9,070 4,559
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #557 #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu cnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey CNU
Tuition (In State) $14,192 $9,375
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $22,613
Room & Board $13,160 $11,990
Avg Net Price $12,967 $23,287
Avg Grant Aid $10,919 $8,022
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 66%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey CNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,062 7,428
Admitted 6,464 6,340
Acceptance Rate 91.5% 85.4%
Enrolled % 12.5% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 3.79
Typical High School Grades B- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/29
SAT Range 990/1345 1100/1290
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 Jun 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

William Paterson University of New Jersey CNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey CNU
Graduation Rate 46% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $47,100
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $253 $258

Diversity

William Paterson University of New Jersey CNU
% Men 35% 46%
% Women 65% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 43% 74%
% Black 16% 8%
% Hispanic 27% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey CNU
% In-State 92% 91%
% Out-of-State 6% 6%

Campus

William Paterson University of New Jersey CNU
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

  • William Paterson University of New Jersey is larger than than CNU based on total student enrollment (9,070 students vs. 4,559 students)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. CNU Cost Comparison

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

  • William Paterson University of New Jersey is 51.4% more expensive to attend than CNU for in-state tuition ($14,192.00 vs. $9,375.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.6% higher at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Christopher Newport University ($23,192.00 vs. $22,613.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at William Paterson University of New Jersey than CNU ($12,967 vs. $23,287)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 9.8% lower than costs at William Paterson University of New Jersey ($11,990 vs. $13,160)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Christopher Newport University (95% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by William Paterson University of New Jersey students is 36.1% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($10,919 vs. $8,022)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Christopher Newport University (1155) is 165 points higher than at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990)
  • Accepted freshman CNU students have a 0.82 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at William Paterson University of New Jersey (2.97)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey has a higher acceptance rate (91.5%) than CNU (85.4%)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, William Paterson University of New Jersey or CNU? 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 CNU and William Paterson University of New Jersey.

  • The graduation rate at CNU is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (63% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Christopher Newport University earn on average $600 more per year than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($47,100 vs. $46,500)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than CNU graduates. ($24,500 vs. $25,000)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than CNU graduates. ($253 vs. $258)
  • More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William Paterson University of New Jersey students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 59%)

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