William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College

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

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Location Wayne, NJ Erie, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 9,426 3,323
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #596 #538
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Tuition (In State) $14,690 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $24,004 $26,112
Room & Board $15,990 $14,774
Avg Net Price $16,999 $20,964
Avg Grant Aid $13,984 $10,930
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 66%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,754 4,827
Admitted 7,174 4,620
Acceptance Rate 92.5% 95.7%
Enrolled % 12.3% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 3.49
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/28
SAT Range 990/1345 1110/1320
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 Erie-Behrend College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Graduation Rate 46% 66%
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 Erie-Behrend College
% Men 7% 2%
% Women 24% 1%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 43% 79%
% Black 16% 4%
% Hispanic 27% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 9%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% In-State 89% 74%
% Out-of-State 6% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • William Paterson University of New Jersey is larger than than Penn State Erie-Behrend College based on total student enrollment (9,426 students vs. 3,323 students)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College is 4.8% more expensive to attend than William Paterson University of New Jersey for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $14,690.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.8% higher at Penn State Erie-Behrend College than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($26,112.00 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 Penn State Erie-Behrend College ($16,999 vs. $20,964)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Erie Behrend College are 8.2% lower than costs at William Paterson University of New Jersey ($14,774 vs. $15,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Penn State Erie Behrend College (83% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by William Paterson University of New Jersey students is 27.9% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($13,984 vs. $10,930)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Erie Behrend College (1054) is 64 points higher than at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 0.52 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at William Paterson University of New Jersey (2.97)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than William Paterson University of New Jersey (92.5%)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Erie-Behrend College is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (66% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Erie Behrend College 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 Erie-Behrend College 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 Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($253 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Erie-Behrend College 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/