William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State

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

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State
Location Wayne, NJ University Park, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 9,070 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #557 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State
Tuition (In State) $14,192 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $35,946
Room & Board $13,160 $12,744
Avg Net Price $12,967 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $10,919 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 44%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,062 85,784
Admitted 6,464 47,360
Acceptance Rate 91.5% 55.2%
Enrolled % 12.5% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 -
Typical High School Grades B- -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31
SAT Range 990/1345 1210/1390
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

Academics

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State
Graduation Rate 46% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $253 $277

Diversity

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State
% Men 35% 53%
% Women 65% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 43% 69%
% Black 16% 4%
% Hispanic 27% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State
% In-State 92% 51%
% Out-of-State 6% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than William Paterson University of New Jersey based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 9,070 students)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Main Campus is 29.4% more expensive to attend than William Paterson University of New Jersey for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $14,192.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55% higher at Penn State than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($35,946.00 vs. $23,192.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Penn State ($12,967 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 3.3% lower than costs at William Paterson University of New Jersey ($12,744 vs. $13,160)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Penn State Main Campus (95% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by William Paterson University of New Jersey students is 8.5% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($10,919 vs. $10,066)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 212 points higher than at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey has a higher acceptance rate (91.5%) than Penn State (55.2%)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (87% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus 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 $2,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($24,500 vs. $26,818)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($253 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William Paterson University of New Jersey students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

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