William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. City College of New York

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

William Paterson University of New Jersey City College of New York
Location Wayne, NJ New York, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 9,426 15,012
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #596 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $14,690 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $24,004 $14,880
Room & Board $15,990 $18,104
Avg Net Price $16,999 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $13,984 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 86%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,754 31,988
Admitted 7,174 18,576
Acceptance Rate 92.5% 58.1%
Enrolled % 12.3% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 3.2
Typical High School Grades B- B
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range 990/1345 1220/1460
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 City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey City College of New York
Graduation Rate 46% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $253 $117

Diversity

William Paterson University of New Jersey City College of New York
% Men 7% 7%
% Women 24% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 15%
% Black 16% 16%
% Hispanic 27% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey City College of New York
% In-State 89% 87%
% Out-of-State 6% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY City College is larger than than William Paterson University of New Jersey based on total student enrollment (15,012 students vs. 9,426 students)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

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

  • William Paterson University of New Jersey is 112% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($14,690.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.3% higher at William Paterson University of New Jersey than CUNY City College ($24,004.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($4,599 vs. $16,999)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at William Paterson University of New Jersey are 13.2% lower than costs at CUNY City College ($15,990 vs. $18,104)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than William Paterson University of New Jersey (86% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by William Paterson University of New Jersey students is 51.4% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($13,984 vs. $9,236)

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

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

  • The average SAT score at CUNY City College (1125) is 135 points higher than at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990)
  • Accepted freshman City College of New York students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) 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 City College of New York (58.1%)

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

Which is better, William Paterson University of New Jersey or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and William Paterson University of New Jersey.

  • The graduation rate at William Paterson University of New Jersey is higher than CUNY City College (46% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from CUNY City College earn on average $3,300 more per year than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($49,800 vs. $46,500)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $13,100 lower median federal student loan debt than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates. ($11,400 vs. $24,500)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $136 less per month on federal student loans than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates. ($117 vs. $253)
  • More William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 52%)

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