Cost & financial aid brief
William Paterson University of New Jersey Tuition, Costs & Financial Aid
How much does William Paterson University of New Jersey cost after financial aid?
Financial aid changes the published price materially for average recipients, although the reduction varies by family income. The sticker-to-net gap for the average aid recipient is $9,731, and aid covers about 34% of the published cost for the average aid recipient.
The lower income bands have lower average net prices than the middle and upper income bands, with the highest listed band facing the largest average cost after aid. This is a pattern in average prices within income bands, not a prediction of any particular family’s package.
The pattern indicates that average aid offsets are larger at lower listed incomes, while families across every band still face costs after grants and scholarships.
The published cost of attendance at William Paterson University of New Jersey is $28,476 (an average across living arrangements). Azimuth ranks the university #536 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.
After grants and scholarships, the average net price for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $16,171, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $18,505, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $24,917. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $8,746.
Aid covers about 34% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, a savings of $9,731 against the sticker price. The average net price across all aid recipients is $18,745, which is $4,677 above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size).
Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $22,334 in federal student loans, $1,105 above the peer median of $21,229. 87.2% of federal aid recipients take federal loans.
Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $20,000 in Parent PLUS loans. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $254 a month.
Student loans: what does repayment look like?
At William Paterson University of New Jersey, the debt picture combines widespread federal borrowing with a median above comparable schools. 87.2% of federal aid recipients take federal loans.
Among borrowers who complete, median federal student loan debt is $22,334. The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $21,229, placing the university $1,105 above it.
For the separate parent-borrower population, median Parent PLUS borrowing is $20,000.
For William Paterson University of New Jersey, mobility is the strongest pillar, yet the investment picture is mixed. Graduates earn a median of $59,272 four years after completion; Azimuth places that earnings figure in the 48th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.
On earnings beyond expectations, the gap between what graduates earn and what expects for similar students, graduates earn about $2,527 less than the model expects for similar students. Azimuth places this measure in the 46th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Program-mix earnings scenarios range from $46,636 in the downside scenario to $90,008 in the upside scenario, with $59,272 as the typical scenario. Median federal student loan debt at completion is $22,334, which is $1,105 above the $21,229 peer median at comparable institutions (same type and size).
That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $254 a month if repaid over ten years. The scenario range and above-peer debt sit alongside earnings that fall short of the model's expectation.
Median Parent PLUS borrowing is $20,000 for parent borrowers, a population separate from student federal borrowers. The median federal debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $254 a month if repaid over ten years.
Repayment figures are in the Financial GPS card below. Borrowing populations and model assumptions.
Parent loans: what can the family afford?
How Parent PLUS borrowing affects families
- Median Parent PLUS debt
- $20,000
- Estimated parent payment
- $254/mo
| Income | Risk level |
|---|---|
| $35,000 | High pressure |
| $50,000 | High pressure |
| $75,000 | High pressure |
| $100,000 | Caution |
| $150,000 | Safe |
| $200,000 | Safe |
The model holds the parent balance fixed and varies parent income. Read the assumptions and limits.
Student and parent loans: the monthly payments
Financial GPS
What does repayment look like?
- Institution median student debt
- $22,334
- Institution Parent PLUS debt
- $20,000
Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included.
- Estimated student payment · monthly
- $254/mo
- Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly
- $254/mo
- Modeled student + parent payments
- $508/mo
Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s.
Student payment as a share of available income
At median graduate earnings of $59,272, with a $22,590 annual allowance for basic expenses:
8.3% of income above the allowance · Good
- Excellent Under 8%
- Good 8–under 12% · selected scenario
- Concerning 12–20%
- High risk Over 20%
How this estimate works
These are modeled earnings scenarios, not observed earnings percentiles. Annual student payments ÷ (earnings − basic-expense allowance). The starting allowance, $22,590, uses the published framework’s 2024 baseline; it is not a current local living-cost estimate. Change it for your budget, including taxes and other obligations. This combines school-level figures for illustration, not a typical individual’s budget or an official school rating. Parent PLUS is separate.
Payment assumptions
Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates.
Data & methodology
Sources and reporting periods: methodology.
Analysis and methodology by Daniel Rogers, founder of College Azimuth.
Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.
Figure notes link to sources and limitations. About College Azimuth.
Net price and borrowing. The 2023–24 income-band averages include living costs and cover eligible first-time, full-time aid recipients; public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. They are not individual aid offers. Peer matching supplies overall net prices, not matched income-band averages. College Scorecard data and documentation.
A personal student-risk assessment also needs your major and borrowing plan; these school-level illustrations do not assign you a personal risk zone.
Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates. Private-loan figures from the Common Data Set are separate from these federal repayment illustrations.