Montclair State University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Mahwah, New Jersey · Public · Moderately selective · CDS 2024-2025
Montclair State University is a public university in Mahwah, New Jersey that admits about 73% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $20,360 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Communication and Media Studies and Biology, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 70% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 0.6 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Montclair State University is a public institution located in Mahwah, New Jersey with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Montclair State University admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 73%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1190 and an ACT composite around 26. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $20,360 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Montclair State University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for Montclair State University?
Montclair State University 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. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does Montclair State University weight in admissions?
Montclair State University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Class rank
- • Interview
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Level of applicant's interest
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
SAT and ACT scores Montclair State University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 560–630, with an EBRW midpoint near 595. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–26. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1140 |
| 50th percentile | 1200 |
| 75th percentile | 1270 |
| % submitting SAT | 24% |
| 25th percentile | 22 |
| 50th percentile | 26 |
| 75th percentile | 30 |
| % submitting ACT | 1% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
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.
| Top 10% of class | 7% |
| Top 25% of class | 33% |
| Top 50% of class | 73% |
| % submitting class rank | 1.4% |
How much does Montclair State University actually cost?
Published tuition is $15,978 for in-state students and $26,388 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $15,834 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $20,360 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 27% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $16,777 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $27,708 |
| Room and board | $17,102 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $20,360 |
| Application fee | $65 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Montclair State University
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
Will my child graduate from Montclair State University?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at Montclair State University
The most popular undergraduate programs at Montclair State University, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Communication and Media Studies and Biology, General. Across all programs, Montclair State University confers roughly 663 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing program report a median income of about $101,973 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 121 | $101,973 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 98 | $56,765 |
| Biology, General | 98 | $73,412 |
| Psychology, General | 95 | $56,873 |
| Marketing | 72 | — |
| Social Sciences, General | 66 | — |
| Social Work | 57 | $58,059 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 56 | — |
Is Montclair State University safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Montclair State University disclosed 3 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 0.6 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 1 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
What is campus life like at Montclair State University?
About 38% of undergraduates at Montclair State University live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. 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
- Princeton University5% acceptance
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick65% acceptance
- Seton Hall University43% acceptance
- Stevens Institute of Technology79% acceptance
- New Jersey Institute of Technology79% acceptance
- Rowan College at Burlington County78% acceptance
- Bergen Community College69% acceptance
- College of New Jersey78% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Montclair State University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Montclair State University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Montclair State University
What GPA do I need for Montclair State University?
Montclair State University 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 SAT or ACT score does Montclair State University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 560–630, with an EBRW midpoint near 595. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–26.
How much does Montclair State University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Montclair State University after grants and scholarships is $20,360 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Montclair State University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Montclair State University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at Montclair State University?
Montclair State University accepts about 73% of applicants out of roughly 8,976 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.
Is Montclair State University test-optional?
Yes. Montclair State University is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at Montclair State University?
About 70% of students at Montclair State University graduate within six years. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does Montclair State University look for in applicants?
Montclair State University rates course rigor and GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Montclair State University a public or private school, and where is it located?
Montclair State University is a public institution located in Mahwah, New Jersey.
What are the most popular majors at Montclair State University?
The largest undergraduate majors at Montclair State University by annual graduates are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Communication and Media Studies and Biology, General. The school awards about 663 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Montclair State University safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Montclair State University reported 3 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 0.6 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Montclair State University?
At Montclair State University, 38% of undergraduates live on campus, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Montclair State University, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.