The College of New Jersey—TCNJ, as it is known there—has a public record built from data that the federal government collects from every college in the country. It is not an opinion. It is not a paid ranking. These are numbers that the institution itself reported under the same system the U.S. Department of Education uses for every college in the country. I have spent years reading these kinds of records with families, and I know that the problem is almost never a lack of information. The problem is that the information arrives in a language no one teaches in high school. Here, I translate it for you, figure by figure, so you can use it.
What kind of school it is, before talking about numbers
Let’s start with the basics: what this is, where it is, and whom it appears to serve.
TCNJ is a public, not private, four-year college. The Carnegie organization, which classifies the country’s colleges by what they actually do, places it among master’s colleges and universities with larger programs, and within its undergraduate profile, it places the school in the more selective admissions group. It also identifies it as highly residential: at the time of that classification, at least half of its undergraduate students lived in housing owned, controlled, or affiliated with the institution, and at least 80 out of every 100 attended full time. That tells you something real about the pace of life there. It does not tell you whether moving away is right for your child, nor does it tell you how many out of every hundred applicants are admitted—we will get to that later, and it is worth reviewing before your child finalizes a college list.
Geographically, it is in Ewing, New Jersey, in Mercer County, within the Trenton-Princeton metropolitan area, although that does not mean the campus is in the heart of either city. Its census code places it in a suburb: within the urbanized area but outside the principal city. If your child plans to live at home and drive every day, do not rely on what the map says: make the trip yourself on a weekday, at the time your child would have classes.
As for academic level, IPEDS—the federal system where all this information resides—records that the highest level the institution reports offering is a post-master’s certificate, and classifies it as an institution that awards degrees primarily at the bachelor’s level or above. This is general institutional information; it does not tell you whether your child’s specific major is available there or whether it connects undergraduate and graduate study. That must be asked program by program.
And one clarification is worth making right away: TCNJ has none of these three special designations. It is not a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges in this national directory, 138 have at least one of the three designations. TCNJ’s absence from that list says nothing about which students it serves today, how many Latino students are on campus, or how your child will feel there. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist, which student organizations are active today, and what does someone who already studies there say?
The size of the community and who else is there
In fall 2023, TCNJ had 7,652 enrolled students: 7,073 undergraduates and 579 graduate students. Above all, it is an undergraduate institution. In the official size category, it falls between 5,000 and 9,999 students, placing it near the middle among the 519 selective-admission, four-year public colleges in this census: neither one of the largest nor one of the smallest.
Of every 100 undergraduate students, 18 identified as Hispanic or Latino in fall 2023. Compared with those same 519 colleges, it ranks above the midpoint of the group but below the highest quartile. They are not a majority, but their presence is not unusual either: if your child is Latino, your child would be far from the only one on that campus.
A few other outlines of that community: there are almost no adult students—only 2 out of every 100 are between 25 and 64 years old; there are more women than men, with women accounting for 56 out of every 100 students; and 95 out of every 100 first-time students reported a permanent address in New Jersey when they applied. That last point matters greatly if your family lives outside the state: ask now which tuition rate would apply and what requirements are used for that classification, because the residency information reported here and tuition classification are different things.
As general advice, being a mid-sized college does not guarantee more options or more attention for your child. Ask about the specific major, not the entire school.
How the academic year works and what it recognizes as prior credit
TCNJ organizes its academic year into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. Nothing unusual there.
What is worth noting is that the institution reported accepting credit for AP exams, as well as what IPEDS calls credit for life experience—independent study, noncredit adult courses, work experience, portfolios, prior licenses or certifications, military or government experience, or an examination program. It also reports accepting credit for military training and stated that it enrolls high school students in college courses for credit, both within and outside a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is a hard truth you should not skip: the school’s statement that it accepts AP does not mean it will grant credit for every exam your child takes. The report does not say what scores are required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits will count toward the specific major your child wants to pursue. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling, and do not budget for any savings of time or money until you have it in hand.
As for bachelor’s degree offerings, between July 2022 and June 2023, TCNJ awarded 1,725 degrees across 19 fields of study families (CIP). None accounts for a large share: the most common was business and management, with only 18 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. It is a broad set of offerings, with no single field dominating. But be careful: 19 families with rows in the report do not mean 19 majors are guaranteed to be offered today—a CIP family groups multiple programs, and a row may report no degrees for that year. Verify the exact program your child is interested in.
The student-faculty ratio is 13 students for every full-time-equivalent faculty member, placing it in the lowest quartile among 519 similar colleges—in other words, a comparatively low ratio. But this figure does not tell you the actual size of a first-year class. It is an institutional average, not a promise of small classes.
TCNJ also reports structured academic opportunities: study abroad, cocurricular undergraduate research, teacher-certification preparation, and state approval of its program for initial teacher certification. If your child is interested in teaching, this is a concrete starting point for further questions.
Getting in: what the application requires and how hard it is to receive a yes
This is where many families become nervous, and with good reason: money, time, and expectations are all concentrated in a single letter.
First, the policy. TCNJ does not have open admissions. Of the nine admissions considerations reviewed by this report, it marked three as required: the high school record, the personal essay, and an English-proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. Put plainly, gathering paperwork is not enough at this college. The essay is required, so your child has to write—and write well.
Other components are not required, but they are considered if submitted: high school GPA, class rank, completion of the college’s recommended high school curriculum, letters of recommendation, a portfolio or competency exam, work experience, and whether a family member attended the institution. On that last point, if it does not apply to you, do not spend energy on it. Spend it on what is within your control. The undergraduate application fee is $75.
Now for the question everyone wants to ask first: how selective is it? In the 2023 cycle, TCNJ received 11,668 first-time undergraduate applications. Of those, 7,251 received an offer of admission: 62 out of every 100. Compared with the 519 selective public colleges in this census, it ranks on the lower side—seven out of ten of those colleges admitted a higher percentage. Looked at another way, 4,417 applicants did not receive an offer. Admission is not a sure thing, nor is it a lottery. The application is reviewed carefully.
But here is something many families do not know, and it changes the calculation completely: being admitted is not the same as enrolling. Of every 100 first-time students admitted in 2023, only 21 ultimately enrolled. In other words, out of every 5 young people who received a yes, roughly one accepted the place. Do not read that as a blemish on the school: the federal record does not say why each person chose what they chose. What I will tell you is this: other people’s decisions do not tell you what the school will offer you. Wait for your letter showing the net price—what the year would actually cost—before deciding whether this school stays on the list.
As for standardized tests, the SAT and ACT are not required. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application proceeds normally. Among students who enrolled in 2023, 42 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores—a high share compared with similar colleges—and among those students, the middle half scored between 570 and 670 in reading and writing and between 570 and 670 in mathematics. That range is neither a minimum your child must reach nor a guarantee of admission if your child reaches it: these are data from students who enrolled, not from everyone who applied.
As for transfers, among the cohort that entered in 2017, 10 out of every 100 are recorded as having transferred to another college without completing a credential there—a low share compared with similar colleges. Separately, in 2023, 301 first-time-at-TCNJ students enrolled after previously studying at another institution. Neither figure tells you how many courses the school recognizes upon transfer. Request that information in writing, with the exact course list in hand, before your child transfers.
The price: what it costs before aid and what each family actually pays
At The College of New Jersey, among 155 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $12,814. Among 104 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $20,638; among 440 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $33,080. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
There is a difference of $20,266 between the average for the lowest-income band (155 students) and the average for the highest-income band (440 students). These are group averages, not a prediction of your family’s price. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $22,379.
Among the 519 colleges of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, TCNJ falls within the most expensive quartile for the lowest-income families. That does not mean you should rule it out. It means you should request the financial aid letter before deciding.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, correctly identifying yours comes first. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district tuition rate. The overall average with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The financial aid letter sent to you is what matters.
Grants, Pell, and loans: how aid is assembled
More than half of degree-seeking students received some form of aid that does not have to be repaid: 50 out of every 100. That is more than half, but not everyone. Compared with similar colleges, this share falls in the lowest quartile. Among those who did receive that aid, the annual average was $12,002.
The federal Pell Grant, aimed specifically at low-income families, reached 21 out of every 100 students. That is a more modest share than aid overall, and the difference between the two figures may include state, local, or institutional aid that this breakdown does not allow us to attribute directly to the school. When your letter arrives, divide it yourself into three piles: what does not have to be repaid, what must be repaid with interest, and what must be earned through work. Many letters mix them in a single column, and that confusion costs families dearly.
As for loans, in the 2022-23 school year, 47 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan, and those who received one borrowed an average of $6,366 that year. Compared with similar colleges, this share of students with loans is on the high side. If your child borrowed a similar amount each year during the program’s four years, the total would be around $25,464, not including interest. That calculation should be made before the first signature, not at the end of the journey. And an important clarification: that average does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, bank debt, or credit-card debt. Nor is it the debt with which a student leaves upon graduation; that would require adding all four years, and that figure is not in this report.
TCNJ also reports a specific mechanism for managing payments: an installment tuition payment plan.
Campus life: housing, ROTC, sports, library, and support services
TCNJ has institution-controlled housing, and it does not require all first-time, full-time students to live there—although that does not mean no specific program has such a requirement. It also offers meal plans, including a large plan with a fixed number of meals per week. The reported maximum housing capacity is 3,867 students. The existence of rooms does not guarantee that a bed will be available for your child: request the year’s rate, the application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or your child will be placed on a waiting list, all in writing.
As for ROTC, the school reports opportunities in two branches, Army and Air Force; Navy is not marked. A marked option does not mean the program is taught on this particular campus or that places are guaranteed: ask about it by name before building a plan around it.
In sports, TCNJ competes at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA, with reported membership in football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. This does not say in which division each sport competes or whether it offers athletic scholarships. If sports matter to your child, write directly to the coach and request the answer in writing.
The library operates with paid staff and annual expenditures above the government-recorded threshold of $100,000; it has physical and digital materials and participates in interlibrary lending. That does not tell you whether it has specific databases for your child’s major: ask about them by the name of the major.
As for distance education, TCNJ offers it at the undergraduate and graduate levels and reports at least one program in which all courses can be completed remotely. But in the actual fall enrollment count, virtually no undergraduate students—fewer than 1 out of every 100—were taking their entire course load that way. Confirm in writing whether a fully remote option exists for the specific major your child is interested in.
Finally, TCNJ reports the following support services: combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services upon program completion, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military families, and a webpage for services for people with disabilities.
Those who stay and those who finish: retention and graduation
Here we reach one of the most reassuring figures in the record, and it is worth stating plainly.
Of the full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking cohort that entered in 2022, 90 out of every 100 were still enrolled at TCNJ or had already completed their degree one year later. Compared with 519 similar colleges, TCNJ is among those retaining the largest share of their entering cohorts. This figure combines two groups—those still studying and those who had already graduated—and does not separate them.
As for graduation, among students who entered in 2017 as full-time students without having previously attended another college, 85 out of every 100 completed their degree within six years—1,310 of 1,537 students. Within four years, the figure falls to 76 out of every 100. Compared with 518 similar colleges, TCNJ is among those graduating the largest share of their cohorts.
And here is the hard truth that accompanies any high figure: this does not predict what will happen to your child. It is what happened to the cohort that entered in 2017, at that school, under those circumstances. What is within your control is ensuring that your child enters with credits in order and knows, from the first semester, who the academic advisor is and when registration opens for courses in the major.
One additional figure, looking at a longer window: of a cohort that entered between 2015 and 2016—including first-time students and students with prior experience, both full-time and part-time—87 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school eight years later. Among those who received a Pell Grant, the figure was 80 out of every 100, eight points below the figure for those who did not receive one. A family’s eligibility for Pell today does not determine its child’s individual outcome, but if your situation resembles that of those students, it is worth asking specifically what is available for them: an assigned advisor, emergency assistance, and whether the institutional scholarship is renewed each year. And get the answers in writing.
What this record cannot tell you
None of the above tells you what happens after a student graduates from TCNJ: not earnings, employment, or total accumulated debt. That information is not in this record, and I am not going to invent it.
Putting the pieces together
You now understand in depth one of the three pieces you need in order to decide: what The College of New Jersey is really like according to its own federal numbers.
You still need to combine this with what your child wants to study, what your child has already built in high school, and what your family can and is willing to pay. Neither of those other two pieces is found in a federal report: they live in your home, in the conversations you have with your child, and in the financial aid letter that eventually arrives with a real figure calculated for your family.
Your child’s job is to write the essay, decide what to study, and build an academic record. Your job is to understand the money, support the decision, and not let your child carry alone a process that is only beginning to become familiar. With this piece in hand, you can now ask the right questions when the time comes to decide.
Source note: the information in this article comes from official data reported to the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles. Best College Aid does not represent The College of New Jersey or the U.S. government; this article is an independent explanation of public data.