Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsPublicHSI

William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, New Jersey·Public, 4-year or above·Mid East·wpunj.edu
6-yr Graduation
44%
-5.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Total enrollment
9,942
peer median 9,042
Avg net price
$18,745
+$531 vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
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AdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeCommon Data Set

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
9,165
9,165 candidates competed
Admitted
8,256
90.1% acceptance rate
Enrolled
1,037
12.6% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
44%-5.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
4-year graduation
26%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
44%
Full-time retention
74%

Pell equity

20.4pp gap
Pell recipients
36%365 of 1021
Non-Pell (all)
56%381 of 676
Subsidized loan, no Pell
50%140 of 280
No Federal Aid
61%241 of 396

Non-Pell students graduate at a 20.4-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 142 Title IV programs, 31 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 111 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
142
Passing
31
21.8% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

142programs
  • Passing31 · 21.8%
  • No Data111 · 78.2%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
1
Watch
4
Safe
26
No data
111

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

31
Music
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+9.6%
$39,553 vs $36,082
Clinical Counseling and Applied Psychology
Master's Degree · Psychology
+16.3%
$56,584 vs $48,653
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+17.1%
$72,447 vs $61,854
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
+18.2%
$42,632 vs $36,082
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+22.8%
$44,298 vs $36,082
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences General
Bachelor Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+29.5%
$46,711 vs $36,082
Political Science and Government
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
+33.3%
$48,101 vs $36,082
Psychology General
Bachelor Degree · Psychology
+35.8%
$48,985 vs $36,082

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

27
Music
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
59%
$23,428 debt · $39,553 earn
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
58%
$24,750 debt · $42,632 earn
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
57%
$41,000 debt · $72,447 earn
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Master's Degree · Education
56%
$41,365 debt · $74,275 earn
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences General
Bachelor Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
54%
$25,293 debt · $46,711 earn
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
54%
$23,875 debt · $44,298 earn
Political Science and Government
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
50%
$23,891 debt · $48,101 earn
International Business
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
50%
$24,500 debt · $49,470 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Accredited since 1958Next review Jan 2029

Programmatic accreditations · 10

Action history · 15

  1. May 2023Accreditation Reaffirmed: Probation Removed
    American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology · Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) - Graduate degree programs
  2. Mar 2023Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: Probation
    American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology · Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) - Graduate degree programs
  3. Jun 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Council on Education for Public Health · Public Health Programs (PHPB) — Baccalaureate only level programs offered outside a school of public health
  4. Apr 2022Loss of Accreditation or Preaccreditation: Other
    American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · Clinical Psychology (CLPSYD) - PsyD Doctoral programs
  5. Feb 2022Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: Probation
    American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology · Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) - Graduate degree programs

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$16,171
$30–48k$18,287
$48–75k$18,505
$75–110k$22,862
$110k+$24,917

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$18,745
+$531vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs median $18,215
Federal loans
42.9%
In-state tuition
$15,704
Out-of-state
$25,344

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 3,883 students received $22.5M in Pell grants, alongside $51.5M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
3,883
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$22.5M
$22,477,543 total
Direct Loans
$51.5M
7,256 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

4k
’20
4k
’21
3k
’22
4k
’23
4k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$10.5M
2,643 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$11.3M
2,580 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$23.9M
1,573 loan awards
Parent PLUS$4.6M
331 loan awards
Grad PLUS$1.2M
129 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 2,692 borrowers who entered repayment, 71 (2.6%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
2.6%
+0.3pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
2,692
Defaulted
71
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
7.6%
2017
8.7%
2018
7.1%
2019
2.6%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at WPUNJ

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs126
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

2,872 total completions
01Health Professions
90131.4%
02Business
67323.4%
03Education
37513.1%
04Psychology
2789.7%
05Security/Protective
1485.2%
06Biological Sciences
1234.3%
07Communication
993.4%
08Visual/Performing Arts
923.2%
09Computer Sciences
923.2%
10Social Sciences
913.2%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
9,942
12-mo unduplicated
12,419
Undergraduate
8,173
Graduate
4,246

Gender split

Men
32%4,009
Women
68%8,410

Race / ethnicity composition

Hispanic
34.1%
White
29.6%
Black
21.7%
Asian
6.8%
Unknown
2.8%
Non-resident
2.6%
Two or more
2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
227
119 M · 108 W
Women athletes
47.6%
Athletic aid
$0
Total student aid
Budget
$3.6M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$0
$0
Recruiting expense
$7K
$13K
Head-coach salaries
$57K
$49K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 11

Football
91 M · —
$395K
Soccer
28 M · 24 W
$230K
Basketball
16 M · 18 W
$390K
Baseball
32 M · —
$230K
Softball
— · 19 W
$93K
Volleyball
— · 16 W
$185K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.74
7 offenses · 9,426 students

3-year trend

1.172 yrs ago0.991 yr ago0.74Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
27
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
38
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
15
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
5

Criminal offenses by type

Rape
2
Burglary
2
Motor vehicle theft
2
Aggravated assault
1

By location

7total
  • On campus7

Includes 5 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

2
Domestic violence
7
Dating violence
2
Stalking
11 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

  • Sexual orientation1

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons11
Drugs060
Liquor031

Residence-hall fires

  • Pioneer Hall1 fire
    Heating equipmentDamage $0-$99
  • Skyline Hall1 fire
    ElectricalDamage $0-$99

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
18.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
262

WPUNJ vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions WPUNJ selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectWilliam Paterson University of New Jersey
44%—9,942$18,745Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
The College of New Jersey
86%62.3%8,141$27,646Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
New Jersey City University
34%98.4%5,429$16,053Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Ramapo College of New Jersey
70%70.6%5,981$18,173Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
College of Staten Island CUNY
46%92.3%11,033$5,579Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Pennsylvania Western University
52%94.3%10,834$18,256Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Peer group median49%92.3%9,042$18,215

Institutions like WPUNJ

Explore the federal data for institutions in WPUNJ's comparison group.

IPEDS

WPUNJ Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research
Reports to Office of the Provost
Phone
(973) 720-2000
Address
300 Pompton Road, Wayne, New Jersey 07470

The page presents student achievements at William Paterson University, detailing enrollment figures, retention rates, graduation rates, and average years to degree across various demographics and departments. It also includes a list of links and resources available at the university.

Visit IR office page

Common Data Set

WPUNJ's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Acceptance rate
94.0%
Accessible
Yield
13.0%
of admitted students enroll
Total enrollment
9,370
7,220 UG · 2,150 grad
6-yr graduation rate
53%
First-year retention
68%
Student–faculty ratio
14.2 to 1
01

Selectivity & Admissions

Admissions funnel

C1
Applied
8,126
Admitted
7,638
Enrolled
996

8,126 applied → 7,638 admitted (94.0%) → 996 enrolled.

Selectivity

C1
Acceptance rate
94.0%

Accessible — 94.0% acceptance rate.

Admit rate by gender

C1
men91.9%
women95.3%
not reported100.0%

Admit rate varies by gender.

What matters in admission

C7
Important6
Rigor of secondary school recordAcademic GPAExtracurricular activitiesTalent/abilityCharacter/personal qualitiesLevel of applicant’s interest
Considered7
Class rankStandardized test scoresApplication EssayFirst generationRacial/ethnic statusVolunteer workWork experience
Not Considered6
Recommendation(s)InterviewAlumni/ae relationGeographical residenceState residencyReligious affiliation/commitment

Relative importance of each admission factor.

02

Affordability & Value

Where grant aid comes from

H1
Total Scholarships/Grants35.7%
Federal17.7%
State16.2%
Total Self-Help14.3%
Student loans14.1%
Institutional1.8%
Federal Work-Study0.3%

2% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.

Graduate debt

H4/H5
Grads with debt
73%
Avg debt
$28,035

73% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $28,035 on average.

03

Outcomes & Equity

Graduation & retention

B
6-yr grad rate
53%
Retention
68%

6-year graduation rate 53%; first-year retention 68%.

Equity: Pell graduation gap

B4
All students53%
Pell recipients50%

Pell-grant recipients graduate 3 pts below the overall rate (50% vs 53%).

04

Academic Experience

Class-size distribution

I3
2-9 students323
10-19 students623
20-29 students646
30-39 students133
40-49 students19
50-99 students4
100+ students1

54% of classes have under 20 students; 0% have 50+.

Faculty profile

I
Student–faculty ratio
14.2 to 1
Faculty with terminal degree
54%
Women faculty
56%

Key faculty indicators.

Degrees by discipline

J
Business/marketing18.4%
Health professions and related programs11.97%
Psychology10.83%
Communication/journalism8.43%
Homeland Security, law enforcement, firefighting, and protective services7.98%
Visual and performing arts5.75%
Parks and recreation5.41%
Social sciences5.07%

STEM-dominant: ~11% of bachelor's degrees are in computing, engineering, math & sciences.

05

Student Body & Diversity

Undergraduate race/ethnicity

B2
Hispanic/Latino34.0%
White, non-Hispanic33.9%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic18.7%
Asian, non-Hispanic7.9%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic2.7%
Nonresident aliens1.3%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown1.2%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic0.1%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.

International students

B2
International UG
95
Share
1%

1% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).

Undergrad vs graduate

B1
Undergraduate
7,22077%
Graduate
2,15023%

7,220 undergraduates and 2,150 graduate students.

06

Transfer Path

Transfer admissions

D1
Applied
1,703
Admitted
1,562
Enrolled
762

1,703 transfer applicants → 1,562 admitted (91.7%) → 762 enrolled — more selective than first-year admission.

Source publications

Frequently asked questions about William Paterson University of New Jersey

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about WPUNJ.

What is the graduation rate at William Paterson University of New Jersey?

William Paterson University of New Jersey reports a 6-year graduation rate of 44% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend William Paterson University of New Jersey?

William Paterson University of New Jersey reports a total enrollment of 9,942 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at William Paterson University of New Jersey?

The average net price at William Paterson University of New Jersey is $18,745 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at William Paterson University of New Jersey?

William Paterson University of New Jersey's yield rate is 12.6%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is William Paterson University of New Jersey located?

William Paterson University of New Jersey is located in Wayne, New Jersey 07470.

Who runs Institutional Research at William Paterson University of New Jersey?

William Paterson University of New Jersey's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research, which reports to Office of the Provost.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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