Quad

William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJQuad's selectivityOpen
Known forVery diverseTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

9 in 10 applicants admitted

William Paterson University of New Jersey admits about 9 in 10 applicants (90%). That puts it in the "Open" tier, more selective than 22% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

90%

90%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityOpen

Applied

9,165

Admitted

8,256

Yield

13%

of admits enroll

Avg. GPA

2.97

Applications −5% since fall 2014 · admit rate 75% → 90%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A medium campus of 6,614 undergrads, where 47% receive Pell Grants, a high share compared to other colleges.

6.6K

undergrads · larger than 83% of colleges

Diversity index

0.74

Pell Grant

47%

above the median

First generation

44%

above the median

Large suburbNCAA D-III · New Jersey Athletic ConferenceStudy abroadUndergrad research
More diverse · index 0.70 → 0.74 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (22% of graduates). 18 students for every faculty member, more than at 83% of colleges. 98% of faculty are full-time. Spends $13,191 a year on instruction per student.

18 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 83% of colleges

Most popular major

Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse

22% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

$101.3K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

98%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$13.2K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $23,793 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), about the national median. The 86% who received grants paid $13,509 on average; the other 14% paid the full sticker price of $35,880 in-state / $45,194 out-of-state.

35%

$23.8K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · about the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$35,880 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 35% of full price

Federal loans

43%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −17% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $57,780 ten years after enrolling, more than at 62% of colleges; 61% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.6 years of that salary.

61%

61%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$57.8K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$22.3K

≈ $237/month for 10 years

Retention

74%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 51% → 44% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price held about steady after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 17%, because grants grew faster. Applications fell 5% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 75% to 90%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −17% after inflation

  • Applications

    Steady

    −5%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 75% → 90%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.70 → 0.74

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

College of Staten Island CUNY

92% admit · SAT 1070 · 9.7K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Northeast
Compare side-by-side

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

93% admit · SAT 1085 · 5.3K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

Lamar University

86% admit · SAT 1035 · 8.2K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

89% admit · SAT 1253 · 14.1K undergrads

Similar selectivityAlso public
Compare side-by-side
Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    William Paterson University of New Jersey Common Data Set 2021–22

    William Paterson University of New Jersey · Fall 2021; 2021–22 (estimated); 2021–22; Fall 2022 entrants; Fall 2022 cycle; Class of 2021 · retrieved 2026-10-05

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    William Paterson University of New Jersey (2026)

    William Paterson University of New Jersey · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 187444 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything