1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [William Paterson University of New Jersey](/school/william-paterson-university-of-new-jersey/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # William Paterson University of New Jersey Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated September 30, 2026 [Overview](/school/william-paterson-university-of-new-jersey/)[Cost & aid](/school/william-paterson-university-of-new-jersey/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/william-paterson-university-of-new-jersey/admissions/)[Majors](/school/william-paterson-university-of-new-jersey/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/william-paterson-university-of-new-jersey/similar/) **On this page**+ ## How much do William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates earn? The reported median is $59,272 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $57,301 as its benchmark; the difference is $1,971 per year. Although mobility is the clearest pillar, the return picture at William Paterson University of New Jersey is uneven. Azimuth places its return pillar in the 37th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,527 less than the model expects for similar students. [Earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/), the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, sits in the 46th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $6,153. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $8,680. Federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $59,272 four years after completion; Azimuth places that figure in the 48th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $57,301, making the university $1,971 above it. Earnings exceed the peer median but fall short of the model's expectation. Earnings at William Paterson University of New Jersey differ across earnings scenarios and across named programs. The downside earnings scenario is $46,636, and the upside scenario is $90,008; both are projections from the program mix rather than observed groups. Among programs with published results, median earnings four years after completion are $101,328 in Nursing, $76,282 in Computer and Information Sciences, and $71,745 in Accounting. The scenario range and these program results show considerable variation by field. Graduate study matters when reading the four-year earnings figure: an estimated 27.7% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. Four-year earnings cover completers who are working and not enrolled, so those pursuing further study are outside that snapshot. **Median earnings · four years after completion** $59,272 **Rank for difference from expectations** 46th percentile Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **William Paterson University of New Jersey reported median** $59,272 **Peer schools comparable schools · $1,971 below William Paterson University of New Jersey** $57,301 **Model expectation what similar students would be expected to earn · $2,527 above William Paterson University of New Jersey** $61,799 School and program earnings use pooled 2017–18 and 2018–19 completion cohorts, measured in 2022 and 2023 and expressed in 2024 dollars. [How the model works](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). ## How could earnings differ from the median? The planning scenarios range from $46,636 to $90,008, around the reported median of $59,272. Compare the lower scenario with [William Paterson University of New Jersey borrowing and monthly payments](/school/william-paterson-university-of-new-jersey/cost/) to see how a smaller income could change your plan. Modeled from the school’s program mix; not salary percentiles or a forecast for one graduate. Earnings four years after completion Planning rangeReported median **Lower estimate** $46,636 **Median · reported** $59,272 **Higher estimate** $90,008 Downside shows a lower-earning scenario based on the college’s mix of programs; upside shows a higher-earning scenario. Typical is the school’s reported median four years after completion. These are planning scenarios, not a forecast of your salary or percentiles of individual graduates. [Why the downside matters](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) explores the risk hidden by medians, using older ten-year entrant data. [Read about the move to four-year earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). ## Do William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates earn more than expected? Azimuth models what we would expect graduates to earn based on who the college enrolls, how selective it is and its local economy. The difference between that expectation and reported earnings is what Azimuth calls [value added](/methodology/#value-added). William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates’ reported earnings are $2,527 below that expectation, the 46th percentile for this measure. Unlike a peer comparison, it adjusts for who enrolls. The breakdown separates the contribution attributed to observed factors from the remaining difference. Neither component establishes how much attending William Paterson University of New Jersey caused a student to earn. [Read how expected earnings are estimated](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$6,153 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$8,680 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** \-$2,527 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. ## Which fields at William Paterson University of New Jersey report the highest earnings? The highest-earning program at William Paterson University of New Jersey is also the largest. Nursing graduates earn a median of $101,328 four years after completion, from 275 degrees awarded a year. Several programs with strong national ranks sit in the middle of the earnings range. Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions reports $51,502 across 39 degrees awarded, and [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #14 nationally within its field. Criminal Justice follows at $58,108 from 124 degrees awarded, with a national rank of #61. At the more moderate end, Psychology is the second-largest program with 170 degrees awarded and median earnings of $48,985. Azimuth ranks it #213 nationally within its field. The gap between the top-earning and the more moderate-earning programs is substantial. National rankings put several fields in view, but their reported earnings are not uniform. Azimuth identifies 21 ranked bachelor's fields at William Paterson University of New Jersey. Among nonprofit four-year institutions, [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions #14 nationally in its field. It awarded 39 degrees, and its completers had median earnings of $51,502 four years after completion. Azimuth ranks Subject-Area Teacher Education #26 nationally; it awarded 23 degrees and had median earnings of $63,203 four years after completion. Communication Disorders Sciences and Services ranks #40 nationally in Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions. It awarded 28 degrees and had median earnings of $63,108 four years after completion. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing** $101,328 **Computer and Information Sciences, General** $76,282 **Accounting and Related Services** $71,745 **Mathematics** $71,340 **Biology, General** $71,026 **Economics** $70,705 **Finance and Financial Management Services** $70,356 **Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods** $66,745 [Explore William Paterson University of New Jersey program cohorts and field ranks](/school/william-paterson-university-of-new-jersey/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Earnings scenarios grounded in the program mix range from $46,636 in the downside scenario to $59,272 in the typical scenario and $90,008 in the upside scenario. Nursing reaches $101,328 four years after completion, whereas Psychology records $48,985. The spread shows how much the earnings picture varies by field. At William Paterson University of New Jersey, the median earnings for federally aided graduates four years after completion is $59,272. That figure sits $1,971 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size), placing the university in the 48th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings cohort behind this measure includes 2,282 completers. Graduates earn about $2,527 less than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix put typical earnings at $59,272, with a downside scenario of $46,636 and an upside scenario of $90,008. An estimated 27.7% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), 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](/about/).