William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. WCU

Should I go to William Paterson University of New Jersey or West Chester University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if William Paterson University of New Jersey or WCU 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
William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. West Chester University of Pennsylvania comparison
William Paterson University of New Jersey West Chester University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
William Paterson University of New Jersey West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

William Paterson University of New Jersey WCU
Location Wayne, NJ West Chester, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,070 17,275
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #557 #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey WCU
Tuition (In State) $14,192 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $19,290
Room & Board $13,160 $14,228
Avg Net Price $12,967 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $10,919 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 64%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,062 14,778
Admitted 6,464 12,982
Acceptance Rate 91.5% 87.8%
Enrolled % 12.5% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 3.43
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30
SAT Range 990/1345 1080/1260
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 WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey WCU
Graduation Rate 46% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $253 $242

Diversity

William Paterson University of New Jersey WCU
% Men 35% 39%
% Women 65% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 43% 78%
% Black 16% 11%
% Hispanic 27% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey WCU
% In-State 92% 87%
% Out-of-State 6% 12%

Campus

William Paterson University of New Jersey WCU
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

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than William Paterson University of New Jersey based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 9,070 students)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. WCU Cost Comparison

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

  • William Paterson University of New Jersey is 83.9% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($14,192.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.2% higher at William Paterson University of New Jersey than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($23,192.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at William Paterson University of New Jersey than WCU ($12,967 vs. $22,973)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at William Paterson University of New Jersey are 8.1% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($13,160 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at William Paterson University of New Jersey than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (95% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by William Paterson University of New Jersey students is 100.6% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($10,919 vs. $5,443)

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

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 82 points higher than at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) 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 WCU (87.8%)

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

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

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (68% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $2,500 more per year than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $46,500)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates. ($23,500 vs. $24,500)
  • WCU graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates. ($242 vs. $253)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William Paterson University of New Jersey students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 59%)

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