TCNJ: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

TCNJ is a public institution located in Ewing, New Jersey with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, TCNJ admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 61%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1235 and an ACT composite around 29. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $27,646 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for TCNJ?

TCNJ admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.

What does TCNJ weight in admissions?

TCNJ reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean

How TCNJ reads an application: what each weighting means for your child, plus waitlist, transfer and early-round odds

SAT and ACT scores TCNJ typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 570–670, with an EBRW midpoint near 625. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 26–31. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

How much does TCNJ actually cost?

Published tuition is $19,632 for in-state students and $25,752 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $14,976 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $27,646 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 21% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for TCNJ

Will my child graduate from TCNJ?

These predict outcomes at TCNJ better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Most popular majors at TCNJ

The most popular undergraduate programs at TCNJ, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Biology, General and Psychology, General. Across all programs, TCNJ confers roughly 913 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business Administration, Management and Operations program report a median income of about $98,541 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

Is TCNJ safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), TCNJ disclosed 14 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 2.0 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 4 violent offenses and 8 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at TCNJ?

About 44% of undergraduates at TCNJ live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 16% of men join a fraternity and 19% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Other colleges in New Jersey parents ask about

• Rider University
  79% acceptance
• Ramapo College of New Jersey
  71% acceptance
• Drew University
  68% acceptance
• Princeton University
  5% acceptance
• Rutgers University-New Brunswick
  58% acceptance
• Seton Hall University
  73% acceptance
• Stevens Institute of Technology
  48% acceptance
• New Jersey Institute of Technology
  65% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about TCNJ