William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ · Public · Large suburb · WPUNJ

Public institution in Wayne, NJ · 6,526 undergraduates · 93% acceptance rate · $57,780 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Top 18%Undergraduates
Top 25%Pell Grant share

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price: $17,764875th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees: $15,150961st cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees: $24,4641,053rd cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance: $26,555788th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt: $22,334935th lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry: $57,780653rd highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry: $44,928892nd highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year): 47.7%1,252nd highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention: 72.7%1,116th highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 92.5%1,325th most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT: —
Median ACT: —

Campus

Undergraduates: 6,526396th largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio: 17.0:11,598th smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share: 44.5%542nd highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 18 mi (EWR)

On 2 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 40 reported programs.

Field	Level	1 yr	2 yr
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions	bachelors	$77,606	$76,946
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing OperationsBusiness	bachelors	$57,318	$52,607
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science	bachelors	$55,151	$51,482
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness	bachelors	$49,644	$36,941
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasEducation	bachelors	$48,265	$49,491
ChemistryPhysical Sciences	bachelors	$47,729	$42,682
MathematicsMathematics & Statistics	bachelors	$47,260	$52,420
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation	bachelors	$46,496	$45,231
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$45,816	$46,087
Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$45,109	$42,402
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBusiness	bachelors	$44,117	$41,565
Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesPhysical Sciences	bachelors	$41,565	$41,937

Campus facts

Founded in 1855source
Athletic nickname: "Pioneers"source
Competes in NCAA Division IIIsource
School colors: #FF6600 and #000000source
Mascot: Pio (since 2021)source
Campus size: about 370 acressource
Formerly known as "{{collapsible list|"source
Formerly known as "* Paterson City Normal School" (1855–1923)source
Formerly known as "* New Jersey State Normal School at Paterson" (1923–1937)source
Formerly known as "* New Jersey State Teacher’s College at Paterson" (1937–1951)source
Formerly known as "* Paterson State Teachers College" (1951–1958)source
Formerly known as "* Paterson State College" (1958–1971)source
Formerly known as "* William Paterson College of New Jersey" (1971–1997)source
Formerly known as "}}"source
Athletic conference: NJACsource
A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
A Space-grant]] institutionsource
Notable alum: Ian Zieringsource
Notable alum: Ray Torosource

Athletics — 11 sports

NCAA Division III with football · NCAA Division III

Athletic scholarships not allowed · Athletic aid $0 (M $0 · W $0)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport. Athletic scholarships are not allowed by association rule; non-athletic merit or need-based aid may still be available.