Montclair State University: the complete school report for parents

What does Montclair State University actually weigh in admissions?

Montclair State University rates 1 of the 18 factors "Very Important": GPA. It does not consider 7 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Montclair State University's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

What GPA do admitted students actually have?

58% of enrolled students had a 3.25 GPA or above. The average was 3.35 on a 4 scale, reported for 94.08% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.

What is the Montclair State University waitlist really like?

Montclair State University offered a place on its waiting list to 2,187 applicants and 671 accepted one. 1,129 were ultimately admitted. That is 168.3% of those who waited.

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

Montclair State University admitted 81.3% of 3,640 transfer applicants, against 89.4% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.8.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

Montclair State University reports its early rounds below.

What does my child need to take in high school?

Montclair State University requires 17 academic units and recommends 20. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.

What will Montclair State University actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $15,566 a year at Montclair State University after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $15,678. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 45.2% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 532 merit awards averaging $4,215 to first-years with no demonstrated need.

What families at each income level actually paid:

58% of Montclair State University graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $39,728 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $233 a month in repayment. Montclair State University’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from Montclair State University pay off?

Graduates earn a median $61,415 ten years after entering, and $47,944 at six years. 79% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 65% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:

A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.

$89,450 to $27,863, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Montclair State University:

College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.

Will my child actually graduate?

79% of first-years return for a second year. 66% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 63.8% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 65.0% of everyone else, a gap of 1.2 points.

How big are the classes?

37% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 0% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 18:1, and 34% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

What is life at Montclair State University like?

19,048 undergraduates, 5% of first-years from out of state. 37% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 26% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 3% of men join a fraternity and 3% of women a sorority. 41% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $79,914.

What this means for your student

• 58% of enrolled students are at a 3.25 GPA or above, averaging 3.35. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
• Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
• The waitlist is live but thin: 1,129 of 671 who waited were admitted, about 168%.
• Its highest-earning major returns $89,450 five years out against $27,863 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
• See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about Montclair State University

Other schools families compare with Montclair State University

• Loyola University Maryland
  Admissions report · 69.9% admit rate
• WashU
  Admissions report · 11.9% admit rate
• Missouri University of Science and Technology
  Admissions report · 78.6% admit rate
• K-State
  Admissions report · 87.5% admit rate
• Loyola Marymount University
  Admissions report · 48.2% admit rate
• Santa Clara
  Admissions report · 47.9% admit rate