Rowan University Acceptance Rate, Admissions & Graduation

Here I share what the official United States government record—the same system that all universities use to report their numbers—says about Rowan. This is not my opinion or a school brochure. It is what the record shows, explained in plain language, so that you can consider it alongside what your child wants and what your family can afford.

What Type of University It Is

Rowan University is a public four-year university. The federal system places it among institutions devoted primarily to bachelor’s degrees or higher levels, and reports that a doctoral degree is the highest level it offers as an institution. That is a fact about the school overall, not confirmation that a doctoral degree exists in the exact field your child is interested in—that must be verified program by program.

The Carnegie Classification, which organizes the country’s universities according to what they do, places it among doctoral universities with high research activity and describes it as a large, four-year, primarily residential school. Separately, that same system places it among institutions that receive many transfer students. If your child plans to come to Rowan after studying elsewhere, that label is a reason to ask, not a guarantee: before transferring, get written confirmation of which courses will count and which will not.

Rowan has none of these three special designations: it is not a historically Black university, a tribal university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this federal directory, 138 have at least one of the three. Rowan’s absence from that list says nothing about which students it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly which cultural centers and student organizations currently exist.

Where it is located. Rowan is in Glassboro, Gloucester County, within the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metropolitan area, although the census code places it in a suburb, not in that city’s center. If your child plans to live at home, the advice is simple and practical: drive the route yourself on a weekday at the time when your child would have class. The actual travel time is almost never what the map shows.

A Large School, With Far More Than First-Year Students

Rowan reported 19,660 enrolled students in the most recent official fall count. It is a large university: the government places it in the range of 10,000 to 19,999 students, and compared with 519 similar selective public 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 conceals something important: it is divided into 14,869 undergraduate students and 4,791 graduate students. A substantial part of the school consists of people who have already completed a degree and returned for another one. If your child is entering to pursue a bachelor’s degree, the number that truly matters is 14,869, not the total.

Here is information about who those undergraduate students are:

Compared with the other 519 selective public schools, the percentage of Latino students is above the group’s midpoint but does not reach the highest quartile—and Latino students remain a small minority on campus. That does not remove Rowan from any list, but it is useful for asking a specific question during a visit: what currently exists for Latino students, such as a student organization, a cultural center, or someone in the admissions office who speaks Spanish?

The figure of 93 out of every 100 new students with an address in New Jersey also tells you something simple: Rowan is primarily a local school. If your family lives out of state, the reported address and the tuition rate your child would be charged are different matters—ask directly which tuition classification would apply.

How the Academic Year Works and How Broad the Offerings Are

Rowan organizes the academic year into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each, with consistent dates for all students.

The university stated that it accepts credit from AP exams and also what the government calls “credit for life experience”—learning acquired through independent study, work, portfolios, licenses, or previous certifications—as well as credit for military training. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.

Here is the hard truth behind that good news: the school’s statement that it accepts AP does not mean it awards credit for every exam. It does not say what scores are required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits count toward your child’s specific degree program. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not include the savings in your budget until you have that evaluation in hand.

As for fields of study, Rowan awarded 4,283 bachelor’s degrees in a single year, distributed across 26 different program families. No single family dominates the offerings: the most popular, business and management, accounted for only 16 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. Compared with 514 selective public schools, Rowan is in the highest quartile for the variety of program families represented in its offerings. The offerings are broad—but 26 families represented in the report are not 26 specific majors and do not guarantee that the particular major your child wants is offered under that name. Verify the exact program.

Regarding group size, Rowan reports 16 students for each full-time-equivalent faculty member. It is a middle-range figure, neither among the lowest nor the highest at similar schools. This number alone does not tell you the actual size of first-year classes—that must be asked directly.

Other Opportunities the University Reports Offering

Rowan reports offering study abroad, co-curricular undergraduate research, credit-bearing developmental education, and pathways to teacher certification, including state approval of the program for initial certification. These are real opportunities worth asking about by name and confirming as currently available when your child explores the program of interest.

Admissions: A Door That Opens for Many, if You Knock With a Complete Application

This is where many families become nervous unnecessarily. Let’s look at the numbers.

Rowan does not have open admissions: it reviews several components before saying yes. Of nine considerations recorded by the federal system, four are required: the high school transcript, the high school grade point average, a formal demonstration of what the student can do through a portfolio or competency exam, and an English proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. Other items, such as the recommended course plan and letters of recommendation, are not required but are considered if submitted.

If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, ask now whether the English proficiency exam applies and what would qualify your child for an exemption. This is one of those matters that families discover late, when there is no longer enough time to address it comfortably.

The SAT and ACT are not required at Rowan. If submitted, they are considered; if not, the application proceeds in the same way. Among students who enrolled and submitted SAT scores (32 out of every 100), the middle half scored between 560 and 660 in reading and writing, and between 540 and 650 in mathematics. That range is neither a minimum for admission nor a guarantee of admission if reached—it describes only students who had already enrolled and chose to submit their scores.

Now for the figure that matters most to a family building its list:

Of 17,923 applicants in the most recent cycle, 13,948 were offered a place. That is 78 out of every 100.

Compared with 519 selective public schools, that percentage is near the middle of the group—neither among the most demanding nor among the most open. Put simply: Rowan receives thousands of applications, yet 78 out of every 100 applicants still receive a yes. Your child has every reason to submit a complete application on time.

But here is something that confuses many families if it is not explained: out of every 100 admitted students, only 18 ultimately enroll. The other 82 had a place but did not take it. Receiving an acceptance letter is not the same as deciding to attend—and that low enrollment share is not a stain on the school. The federal record does not say why each person made a particular choice. What matters is this: what others decided tells you nothing about what Rowan will offer your child. Wait for your own financial aid letter, with the actual net price, before deciding whether Rowan stays on the list.

About transfers. Of the cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor’s degree, 15 out of every 100 transferred without completing at Rowan and continued at another school—a share on the low side compared with similar schools. At the same time, Rowan receives a great many transfer students: 1,803 students entered in the most recent fall after attending another institution. Changing schools is not failing. If your child arrives as a transfer student or may transfer out at some point, get written confirmation—with the exact course list in hand—of which credits would be recognized. That information is not in any federal report.

Cost: Two Very Different Prices Depending on Where You Come From

At Rowan University, among 381 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 $15,180. Among 230 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $19,644; among 551 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $28,933. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.

There is a difference of $13,753 between the average for the lowest-income band (381 students) and the average for the highest-income band (551 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 $22,237.

Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, Rowan is in the most expensive quartile for the lowest-income families. That does not mean it should be ruled 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 your band 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 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 you receive is what matters.

Financial Aid and Loans: Separate the Categories Before Signing

At Rowan, 74 out of every 100 degree-seeking students received aid that does not have to be repaid—grants or scholarships—with an average of $10,305 among recipients. Federal Pell aid, reserved for lower-income families, reached 32 out of every 100 students.

Here is a practical tip: when Rowan’s financial aid letter arrives, separate it by hand into three categories—what does not have to be repaid, what must be repaid with interest, and what must be earned through work. Many letters combine these in a single column, which is where families become confused about how much they are actually paying.

Regarding loans, 44 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan, with an average of $6,601 per person that year. This is a middle-range share compared with similar schools—neither among the schools with the most students carrying debt nor among those with the fewest. That average does not include Parent PLUS loans signed by parents, bank or credit-card debt, or the total debt with which someone graduates. This percentage describes other families, not yours. The amount your child would need to borrow can be determined only from your child’s own financial aid letter.

Rowan also reports a tuition installment payment plan and participation in a Promise program, two mechanisms worth asking about by name and under their current terms.

Campus Life, Athletics, and Support

Rowan has its own housing, with a reported maximum capacity of 6,371 students. It does not require all first-time students to live there—but that does not indicate whether a specific program does require it or whether housing is guaranteed. Get the annual rate, the deadline for requesting a room, and whether a place is guaranteed or applicants are placed on a waiting list in writing.

Rowan competes in the NCAA and reports participation in football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field, among other sports. If your child is interested in a team, contact the coach directly—ask whether there is a place available, which division that sport competes in, and whether it offers scholarships. Get the response in writing.

Regarding ROTC, the only branch confirmed in Rowan’s report is Army; Navy and Air Force are not marked. Not confirmed does not mean impossible—it is simply something to ask about by name.

Rowan offers distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the most recent count, 10 out of every 100 undergraduate students took their entire course load online, while 90 attended at least one class in person. The library operates with paid staff, physical and digital collections, and interlibrary lending—and exceeds the spending threshold tracked by the government, although that does not guarantee that it has the specific databases needed for your child’s field of study.

Among the services Rowan reports are combined academic and career counseling, employment services for students and graduates, on-campus child care, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for military families, a student veterans organization, and a disability services webpage. The reporting of these services confirms that they exist—it does not confirm their quality or how well they work for a particular student. Ask about that during the visit.

Do Students Stay? Do They Graduate?

This is perhaps the section that most deserves careful attention without alarm.

Retention. Of the first-time, full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students, 82 out of every 100 were still enrolled at Rowan or had already graduated one year later. Compared with similar schools, this share is in the upper part of the group: Rowan retains more students than most of its peers. The figure does not distinguish between those still studying and those who had already earned their degrees, nor does it explain what happened to the rest.

Graduation. Here is a difference every family should note before creating a budget:

• At four years, 51 out of every 100 graduate.
• At six years, 68 out of every 100 graduate.

There is a difference of 17 percentage points between the two time frames. Four years is the time frame most families include in their budgets—which is why, before signing anything, it is worth asking directly how long students in your child’s specific program typically take, how required courses are scheduled, and how the total cost changes if enrollment extends for another year. Compared with similar schools, Rowan’s six-year graduation rate is in the group’s highest quartile.

At eight years, when following a broader cohort that includes full-time and part-time students, 72 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from Rowan. Among students with Pell grants, the figure was 68 out of every 100—five percentage points below the group without Pell grants. Here too, Rowan is in the highest quartile compared with similar schools.

These figures are high and real. They also come from an earlier cohort, and a high percentage is not a promise about what will happen to your child in particular. What you can do with this information is ask today about the current support available in the program of interest and the outcomes of the most recent cohorts.

What You Already Know, and What Comes Next

This article does not tell you whether Rowan is the right university for your child. That depends on two things only your family can see: what your child wants to study and has accomplished so far, and what you can and are willing to pay. Combine this information with those two pieces, request the letters and written confirmations identified here, and that combination will produce a clearer plan than the one you had before reading this.

Source note: The information in this article comes from data reported by Rowan University to the U.S. Department of Education’s IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), primarily corresponding to the years 2022-23 and 2023-24, as indicated for each figure. Best College Aid does not represent Rowan University or any United States government agency.