William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College

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

William Paterson University of New Jersey Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Location Wayne, NJ Sparkill, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,070 2,033
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #557 #567
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu stac.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Tuition (In State) $14,192 $35,500
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $35,500
Room & Board $13,160 $15,370
Avg Net Price $12,967 $21,745
Avg Grant Aid $10,919 $29,710
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 100%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,062 1,861
Admitted 6,464 1,649
Acceptance Rate 91.5% 88.6%
Enrolled % 12.5% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 3.0
Typical High School Grades B- B
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range 990/1345 920/1270
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

William Paterson University of New Jersey Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey Saint Thomas Aquinas College
Graduation Rate 46% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $253 $232

Diversity

William Paterson University of New Jersey Saint Thomas Aquinas College
% Men 35% 48%
% Women 65% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 52%
% Black 16% 10%
% Hispanic 27% 22%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 9%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey Saint Thomas Aquinas College
% In-State 92% 71%
% Out-of-State 6% 25%

Campus

William Paterson University of New Jersey Saint Thomas Aquinas College
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 Saint Thomas Aquinas College based on total student enrollment (9,070 students vs. 2,033 students)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, William Paterson University of New Jersey or Saint Thomas Aquinas College?

  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College is 150.1% more expensive to attend than William Paterson University of New Jersey for in-state tuition ($35,500.00 vs. $14,192.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 53.1% higher at Saint Thomas Aquinas College than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($35,500.00 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 Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($12,967 vs. $21,745)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at William Paterson University of New Jersey are 16.8% lower than costs at Saint Thomas Aquinas College ($13,160 vs. $15,370)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Thomas Aquinas College than William Paterson University of New Jersey (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Thomas Aquinas College students is 172.1% larger than aid received William Paterson University of New Jersey ($29,710 vs. $10,919)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990) is 48 points higher than at Saint Thomas Aquinas College (942)
  • Accepted freshman Saint Thomas Aquinas College students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.0) 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 Saint Thomas Aquinas College (88.6%)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Saint Thomas Aquinas College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, William Paterson University of New Jersey or Saint Thomas Aquinas 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 Saint Thomas Aquinas College and William Paterson University of New Jersey.

  • The graduation rate at Saint Thomas Aquinas College is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (58% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Saint Thomas Aquinas College earn on average $1,500 more per year than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $46,500)
  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates. ($22,500 vs. $24,500)
  • Saint Thomas Aquinas College graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates. ($232 vs. $253)
  • More Saint Thomas Aquinas College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William Paterson University of New Jersey students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 59%)

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