William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Western Washington University

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

William Paterson University of New Jersey Western Washington University
Location Wayne, NJ Bellingham, WA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 9,426 14,651
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #596 #364
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu wwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey Western Washington University
Tuition (In State) $14,690 $7,997
Tuition (Out of State) $24,004 $26,564
Room & Board $15,990 $14,915
Avg Net Price $16,999 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $13,984 $7,041
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 93%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey Western Washington University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,754 14,243
Admitted 7,174 13,005
Acceptance Rate 92.5% 91.3%
Enrolled % 12.3% 24.5%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 3.46
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29
SAT Range 990/1345 1110/1350
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, 2026 Jan 31, 2026

Academics

William Paterson University of New Jersey Western Washington University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey Western Washington University
Graduation Rate 46% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $19,413
Median Loan Payment $253 $200

Diversity

William Paterson University of New Jersey Western Washington University
% Men 7% 2%
% Women 24% 4%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 43% 73%
% Black 16% 2%
% Hispanic 27% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 9%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey Western Washington University
% In-State 89% 83%
% Out-of-State 6% 16%

Campus

William Paterson University of New Jersey Western Washington University
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

  • Western Washington University is larger than than William Paterson University of New Jersey based on total student enrollment (14,651 students vs. 9,426 students)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Western Washington University Cost Comparison

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

  • William Paterson University of New Jersey is 83.7% more expensive to attend than Western Washington University for in-state tuition ($14,690.00 vs. $7,997.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.7% higher at Western Washington University than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($26,564.00 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 Western Washington University ($16,999 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Washington University are 7.2% lower than costs at William Paterson University of New Jersey ($14,915 vs. $15,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Washington University than William Paterson University of New Jersey (93% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by William Paterson University of New Jersey students is 98.6% larger than aid received Western Washington University ($13,984 vs. $7,041)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Western Washington University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Washington University (1114) is 124 points higher than at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990)
  • Accepted freshman Western Washington University students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at William Paterson University of New Jersey (2.97)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than Western Washington University (91.3%)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Western Washington University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Western Washington University is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (73% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Western Washington University earn on average $1,500 more per year than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $46,500)
  • Western Washington University students graduate with a $5,087 lower median federal student loan debt than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates. ($19,413 vs. $24,500)
  • Western Washington University graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates. ($200 vs. $253)
  • More Western Washington University 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/