William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Berks

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

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Berks
Location Wayne, NJ Reading, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 9,070 2,077
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #557 #657
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Berks
Tuition (In State) $14,192 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $25,854
Room & Board $13,160 $14,334
Avg Net Price $12,967 $21,728
Avg Grant Aid $10,919 $8,528
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 66%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Berks
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,062 5,605
Admitted 6,464 5,453
Acceptance Rate 91.5% 97.3%
Enrolled % 12.5% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 3.39
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/28
SAT Range 990/1345 1090/1290
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

Academics

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Berks
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Berks
Graduation Rate 46% 55%
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 Berks
% Men 35% 59%
% Women 65% 41%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 43% 68%
% Black 16% 9%
% Hispanic 27% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Berks
% In-State 92% 64%
% Out-of-State 6% 30%

Campus

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Berks
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 Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (9,070 students vs. 2,077 students)

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

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

  • Penn State Berks is 8.4% more expensive to attend than William Paterson University of New Jersey for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $14,192.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.5% higher at Penn State Berks than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($25,854.00 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 Berks ($12,967 vs. $21,728)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at William Paterson University of New Jersey are 8.9% lower than costs at Penn State Berks ($13,160 vs. $14,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Penn State Berks (95% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by William Paterson University of New Jersey students is 28% larger than aid received Penn State Berks ($10,919 vs. $8,528)

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

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

  • The average SAT score at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990) is 12 points higher than at Penn State Berks (978)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Berks students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at William Paterson University of New Jersey (2.97)
  • Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than William Paterson University of New Jersey (91.5%)

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

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Berks is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (55% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Berks 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 Berks 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 Berks graduates. ($253 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Berks 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/