William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. VCU

Should I go to William Paterson University of New Jersey or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if William Paterson University of New Jersey or VCU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

JMU Mason Montclair State University Virginia Tech Mary Washington College Old Dominion CNU Kean William & Mary UVA WVU UMBC
William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
William Paterson University of New Jersey Virginia Commonwealth University College 3 College 4
William Paterson University of New Jersey Virginia Commonwealth University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

William Paterson University of New Jersey VCU
Location Wayne, NJ Richmond, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 9,070 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #557 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey VCU
Tuition (In State) $14,192 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $33,726
Room & Board $13,160 $12,279
Avg Net Price $12,967 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $10,919 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 83%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,062 18,242
Admitted 6,464 16,600
Acceptance Rate 91.5% 91%
Enrolled % 12.5% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 3.75
Typical High School Grades B- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30
SAT Range 990/1345 1030/1290
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 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

William Paterson University of New Jersey VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey VCU
Graduation Rate 46% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $253 $240

Diversity

William Paterson University of New Jersey VCU
% Men 35% 36%
% Women 65% 64%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 50%
% Black 16% 18%
% Hispanic 27% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey VCU
% In-State 92% 92%
% Out-of-State 6% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than William Paterson University of New Jersey based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 9,070 students)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. VCU Cost Comparison

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

  • William Paterson University of New Jersey is 13.9% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($14,192.00 vs. $12,458.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.4% higher at VCU than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($33,726.00 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 VCU ($12,967 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 7.2% lower than costs at William Paterson University of New Jersey ($12,279 vs. $13,160)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Virginia Commonwealth University (95% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 15.2% larger than aid received William Paterson University of New Jersey ($12,583 vs. $10,919)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 107 points higher than at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.78 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) 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 VCU (91%)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at VCU is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (53% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $1,000 more per year than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $46,500)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates. ($23,250 vs. $24,500)
  • VCU graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates. ($240 vs. $253)
  • More William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 56%)

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