New Jersey City vs William Paterson: Softball Program Comparison
Two D3 programs in the NJAC. William Paterson graduates 9 points more of its students; William Paterson graduates earn $5,035 more a decade out.
Which one is right for you?
Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.
Lean New Jersey City if…
- You would be in-state: New Jersey City is $1,179 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than William Paterson.
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at New Jersey City is $3,834 lower than at William Paterson.
Lean William Paterson if…
- Finishing the degree is the priority: William Paterson graduates 9 percentage points more of its students than New Jersey City.
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: William Paterson graduates earn about $5,035 more per year a decade after enrolling.
What it costs to go there
Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.
| Measure | New Jersey City | William Paterson |
|---|---|---|
| In-state tuition & fees | $13,971 — New Jersey City leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition | $15,150 |
| Out-of-state tuition & fees | $24,888 | $24,464 |
| Room & board | $16,274 | $15,990 |
| Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $30,245 | $31,140 |
| Est. out-of-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $41,162 | $40,454 |
What you leave with
Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.
| Measure | New Jersey City | William Paterson |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 39% | 48% — William Paterson leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $52,745/yr | $57,780/yr — William Paterson leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,500 — New Jersey City leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door | $22,334 |
| Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back. | 35% — New Jersey City leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn | 39% |
Getting in, and what you'd walk into
Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.
| Measure | New Jersey City | William Paterson |
|---|---|---|
| Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit. | 98% | 90% |
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 5,833 | 9,426 |
| Where it is | Jersey City, NJ | Wayne, NJ |
The softball program itself
Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.
| Measure | New Jersey City | William Paterson |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Ashley Martinez | Kathy Hill |
How you actually get in front of them
Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.
| Measure | New Jersey City | William Paterson |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting questionnaire | Yes | Yes |
| Program on X / Instagram | Yes | — |
Scholarship money, honestly
Both programs sit at NCAA Division III, so the scholarship rules are identical: 0 (no athletic scholarships). There are no athletic scholarships at D3 — by rule. But D3 schools often award generous academic merit and need-based aid that can rival an athletic scholarship elsewhere.
What to do about it this week
Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. Do both, then follow with a short email to each staff.
New Jersey City
Open the recruiting questionnaireCamps we track
None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
William Paterson
Open the recruiting questionnaireCamps we track
None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
New Jersey City vs William Paterson: common questions
- Is New Jersey City or William Paterson cheaper?
- Published cost is effectively the same — about $41,162 a year out of state in tuition and housing at both, before any aid. Cost is unlikely to be what decides this one.
- Which school graduates more of its students, New Jersey City or William Paterson?
- William Paterson, at 48% against 39% at New Jersey City (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do New Jersey City and William Paterson offer softball scholarships?
- Both play at NCAA Division III: 0 (no athletic scholarships). There are no athletic scholarships at D3 — by rule. But D3 schools often award generous academic merit and need-based aid that can rival an athletic scholarship elsewhere.
- How do I contact the coaches at New Jersey City and William Paterson?
- Both programs run a recruiting questionnaire, and that is the right first move — it is exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit it at any age. Fill out both, then follow with an email to each staff.
Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.
We work hard to keep all data for New Jersey City and William Paterson accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.
Still deciding between them?
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