That is what I am going to do here with Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus, in Teaneck, New Jersey. I am not going to tell you whether it is the right school for your child—no article can tell you that. I am going to show you, using the data the federal government requires every college in this country to report, what kind of institution it is, so you can intelligently incorporate it into the decision your family is making at home.
What kind of university is it?
Let’s start with the map. Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus is in Teaneck, Bergen County, within the New York metropolitan area. But “metropolitan area” does not mean that the campus is in the middle of Manhattan: the census code places it in a suburb, outside the principal city but within the urbanized area. 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 they would have class. Actual traffic almost never matches the travel time Google promises.
It is a private, nonprofit institution offering programs of four years or more. The federal system records the doctorate as the highest level it offers and classifies it as a school that primarily awards bachelor’s degrees or higher. That does not tell you whether the specific major your child wants is available there or whether it connects to a graduate program. You have to ask program by program.
In the Carnegie Classification—the system that organizes colleges in this country by what they do, not by how good or bad each one is—it appears as a master’s university with larger programs, a four-year, medium-size, primarily residential institution. Carnegie also places it in its “inclusive” category, a label grouping schools that did not report selective admissions scores or whose scores indicate broad access. The data do not clarify which of those two reasons applies here. Remember: Carnegie describes; it does not accredit or recommend. It is useful for understanding which schools this institution resembles; you decide the rest.
One more thing, and it is easy to address: Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus has none of three special designations—it is not a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. The number of universities in this national directory is 3,012, and the number with at least one of those three designations is 138. Not having one says nothing about which communities the university serves today or how your child will feel there. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist, which student organizations are active, and better yet, talk to someone who already studies there.
The actual size and who will share the classroom with your child
In the official fall count, the university’s enrollment was 7,607. It is neither a small school nor a giant factory: it falls in the 5,000-to-9,999 range, and compared with the other 941 selective private four-year schools, it is on the larger side—between one and three out of every ten schools in that group have more students.
But that large number is a little misleading. Of the total of 7,607, undergraduate enrollment accounts for only 5,440; the graduate-student count is 2,167, consisting of people who completed a degree and returned for more education. If your child is entering a bachelor’s program, the number that matters is 5,440, not the total.
Within that undergraduate population, 24 out of every 100 students were reported as Hispanic or Latino in the fall of 2023. That is not a majority, but it is not unusual either: compared with 941 similar selective private schools, the university is in the top quarter, among those with the largest Latino presence. That comparison, however, does not account for where in the country each school is located, and in New Jersey that matters. The undergraduate population is almost evenly divided between men and women—women account for 54 out of every 100 students—and those from ages 25 through 64 are a minority, just 11 out of every 100: above all, this is a campus of young people who have recently finished high school. And one thing worth knowing: among entering students, the share from the same state, New Jersey, was 79 out of every 100. Most of their classmates will be neighbors, not people from all over the country.
How the academic year works and what prior credit it accepts
The calendar is semester-based: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. Nothing unusual there.
What is worth examining closely is how the university handles credit your child already has. The university reported that it accepts credit for AP exams, as well as what IPEDS calls “credit for life experience”—learning from independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, and prior certifications, including military training. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is the part that truly matters: the fact that the university reports accepting AP credit does not tell you what score it requires, how many credits it awards for each exam, or whether those credits will count toward your child’s specific major. Ask for the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
As for what people study there: in the most recently reported year, the university awarded a total of 547 bachelor’s degrees, spread across 20 fields of study. But one of those fields—liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities—accounted for 191 of the 547, or 35 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. That is a real concentration. It does not measure the quality of any program or the current offerings; it only shows where the volume of degrees is concentrated. If your child wants something specific, verify that program by name, not by its broad field.
As for class size: the official ratio is 14 students for every full-time-equivalent faculty member. That sounds low. But compared with 941 similar selective private schools, it falls in the quarter with the highest ratio in that group. Both things are true at the same time: the number looks small in the abstract, yet it is on the high side for this type of school. This ratio also does not tell you the actual size of a first-year class; it is an institutional average, not a class-level measure.
What it offers beyond the classroom: reported paths and opportunities
The university reports several structured options: study abroad, a complete program that can be taken only in the evenings or on weekends, noncredit developmental education, preparation for teacher certification below the postsecondary level, and state approval for initial teacher-certification programs. Their inclusion in the report does not guarantee access or promise quality; these are starting points for questions, not finish lines.
Getting in: what they require and how easy it is to receive a yes
Let’s turn to what probably concerns you most at the beginning: how hard is it to get in?
The university does not have open admission. It reviews several components before saying yes. Of the nine considerations IPEDS asks about, it marked four as required: the high school record, high school GPA, completion of the college-preparatory curriculum the university requires, and an English-proficiency exam when applicable. The personal essay, letters of recommendation, and work experience are not required, but they are considered if you submit them.
If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, ask now whether they need to take an English-proficiency exam and what would exempt them. This is the kind of requirement families discover late, when there is no longer enough time to deal with it comfortably.
And now the number that will probably surprise you: the applicant count was 4,259, and the university offered admission to 4,085. That is 96 out of every 100. Compared with 942 selective private schools in this census, it is among those that admit the largest share—nine out of ten schools in that group admit an equal or smaller percentage. The count of applicants who did not receive an offer was only 174.
This is important, and I want to say it directly: if your child applies here, the family’s energy is better spent completing the application carefully and meeting the deadlines than worrying about competing for a place. According to the numbers, the door is fairly open.
But—and this also needs to be said plainly—the fact that it is easy to get in says nothing about whether it is affordable or whether most students finish their degrees. Those two calculations, net price and graduation rate, matter more than admission. We will look at them.
One interesting fact: out of every 100 admitted applicants, only 15 ultimately enrolled. The other 85 had a yes in hand and did not take it. Compared with similar schools, this is very typical, neither high nor low. Do not read it as a mark against the school—the federal record does not say why each person made that decision. What it does tell you is this: receiving an admission letter is not the same as deciding to attend. Wait for your own letter showing the net price before deciding whether this school remains on the final list.
As for standardized tests, the SAT and ACT are not required. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application continues without a problem. In practice, almost no one submits them: SAT scores were provided by only 1 out of every 100 enrolled students.
The application fee is $50.
If your child transfers in, or if they transfer out
Of the bachelor’s-degree-seeking cohort that entered in 2017, 24 out of every 100 transferred to another institution without completing the degree here. That is a common proportion among similar schools—slightly above the midpoint of the group. Transferring to another college is not failure. But if your child might move at some point, they should know from the beginning how to request the documents needed to transfer, and you should ask the destination institution in writing, using the exact course list, which credits it would accept before your child moves. This figure says nothing about that; it only counts how many entered or left, not how many courses were accepted for credit.
The price: what the list says and what your family will probably pay
At Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus, among 138 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $12,150. Among 68 students from the same population whose EFC family income was from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $14,926; among 40 students whose EFC family income was above $110,000, it was $27,494. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (138 students) and the average for the highest-income band (40 students) is $15,344. 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 $17,121.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, this school falls in the least expensive quarter for lower-income families after grants and scholarships are subtracted. That does not mean it will be inexpensive for your family. It is a factor that matters when you decide which schools should receive applications.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, correctly identifying yours is the first step. 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 rate. The overall average with grant aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The aid letter you receive is what matters.
Grants, loans, and how the payment comes together
Out of every 100 degree-seeking students here, 78 received a grant or other aid that does not have to be repaid. Among those who received it, the annual average was $30,761. Compared with similar schools, this share of students receiving grants falls in the lowest quarter—in other words, grant aid reaches fewer students here than at most peer institutions, although the amount is substantial when it does. And 48 out of every 100 received Pell Grants, the federal grant for low-income families.
$30,761 is real money, but it is not a price: the amount remaining after all aid determines what your family will pay, and you will know that number only when you have your own letter in hand. A high average among aid recipients does not predict the size of your aid package.
As for loans: in the 2022–23 year, only 22 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan. Most students here did not borrow that year. Among those who did, the average was $7,316. Compared with 942 selective private schools, students here use federal loans less often than at almost all of them—nine out of ten similar schools had a larger share of students with debt.
That does not mean grant aid and savings were enough for everyone. We know only that they took out fewer federal loans; the report does not say whether they covered the difference through work, family savings, or another kind of debt not recorded here. And that average of $7,316 covers a single year and only federal loans in the student’s name—it does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, credit cards, or the total debt someone has upon graduation.
The university also offers an installment tuition-payment plan as an option for managing costs throughout the year.
Campus life, learning format, and support
The institution does have housing under its control, with a reported maximum capacity of 991 students. It is not required for all first-time, full-time students—the university reported that it does not universally require them to live there—although that does not rule out a requirement for a specific program. Meal plans are also available, but the number of meals per week varies by the plan selected. The existence of housing does not guarantee an available bed when your child requests one: ask in writing about the annual rate, the application deadline, and whether housing is guaranteed or there is a waiting list.
ROTC opportunities are available in two branches: Army and Air Force. Navy is not marked. Its inclusion in the report is not the same as being accepted, nor does it indicate whether the program takes place on this campus or another one. Ask about it by name before building a plan around it.
In sports, the university does compete at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA—no other association is marked. It reports membership for basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track. The membership belongs to the school, not to your child: if they are interested, they need to write directly to that sport’s coach and ask about a place on the team, the division, and whether athletic aid is available.
It offers distance education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, although in practice this is the exception, not the rule: only 4 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes remotely; the other 96 took at least one class in person. The university also reports offering at least one complete program that can be taken remotely, but that must be confirmed for the specific major and credential level.
The library has employed staff, spending above the federal threshold of $100,000, physical and digital collections, and interlibrary loan. Exceeding that threshold does not guarantee that it has the databases your child’s major requires—ask about those by program name.
Reported services include combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military families, a student veterans’ organization, and a published web address for services for people with disabilities. Their inclusion in the report does not indicate whether they are sufficient or how good they are; they are a starting point for questions.
What happens after students enter: who stays and who graduates
For me, this is the part that should carry the most weight in your decision, because it describes what actually happens to students once they are enrolled.
Of the full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking cohort that entered in the fall of 2022, 76 out of every 100 were still enrolled here or had already completed the degree by the following year. Compared with 930 selective private schools, the university falls slightly below the group’s midpoint—more similar schools retain a larger share than retain a smaller one. This figure does not separate those who are still studying here from those who have already graduated, and it does not explain what happened to the rest: not returning does not always mean dropping out. Someone who transferred and is continuing to study elsewhere is counted the same way in this figure as someone who stopped studying altogether.
Now consider the graduation rate, which to me is one of the most honest figures available. Of the 561 first-time, full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students who entered in 2017, 349 graduated from this same institution within six years. That is 62 out of every 100. At the four-year mark, the figure falls to 48 out of every 100—a difference of 14 points that shows something real: many students need more than four years to finish, and that is not a failure; it is simply how their path unfolded.
Compared with 920 similar selective private schools, at least half of the group reported an equal or smaller share of graduates. Within its category, this is a solid performance—neither exceptional nor concerning.
It is worth looking at the full detail for that cohort of 561 students, because the rounded figure hides important nuances:
| Outcome after six years | Students |
|---|---|
| Completed a bachelor’s degree here | 349 |
| Transferred to another institution | 133 |
| Still enrolled here without completing | 21 |
| No longer enrolled (reason unknown) | 58 |
Transferring does not prove that those students completed a program elsewhere. “No longer enrolled” does not explain why and may include people who graduated after the official time limit. The numbers do not tell any individual’s whole story; they tell the aggregate story of a group.
And there is one final measure, with a more generous time frame: after eight years, using a broader cohort that includes full-time and part-time students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016, 56 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school. Interestingly, the figure was exactly the same among Pell Grant recipients: 56 out of every 100. The fact that the figures match does not mean the path was equally easy for both groups. Compared with 935 similar schools, this eight-year figure falls below the group’s midpoint. A share of 22 out of every 100 appears with an “unknown” enrollment status as of August 2023—which does not mean they dropped out; it means only that the report could not determine where they were.
What this means for your plan
You now know, in considerable depth, one of the three pieces you need in order to decide: what Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus is according to its own federal data. It is a university where admission is relatively easy, where the list price is high but the net price for lower-income families can be surprisingly low compared with similar schools, where slightly more than half of those who enter ultimately graduate within the expected time frame, and where most students do not rely on federal loans to pay.
None of those facts, by itself, tells you whether this is the right school for your child. That depends on two more pieces this article cannot know: what they want to study and what they have accomplished so far, and what your family can and is willing to pay. Put all three together. A real plan comes from that combination, not from a single figure.
If you are beginning to build the list, ask your child what they want to study and how far away they can imagine living. If you are further along in the process, request the financial aid letter in writing before ruling out or confirming this option based on the list price. And if something you read here raised a specific question, that question—asked directly of the university—is worth more than any national average.
Source note: the information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and reports colleges submit to the U.S. Department of Education, primarily covering the 2023 academic cycle and nearby years as indicated for each figure. Best College Aid does not represent Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus or any government agency; this article organizes and explains public data and does not replace the official information each family should verify directly with the university.