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William Paterson University saw a gain of nearly 14 percent in enrollment of full-time, first-time freshmen for the Class of 2028, including students from 18 counties in New Jersey, 13 states, and 17 countries. This includes a 25.6 percent increase in new international students.
In addition, University enrollment for fall 2024 grew to its largest since before the pandemic, with nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students on the Wayne campus and online. Overall enrollment grew 5.3 percent.
“Our enrollment growth is great news for New Jersey, as William Paterson is educating more students who are changing the social fabric of our State and our nation,” says President Richard J. Helldobler. “These gains show that our emphasis on Student Success Teams, social mobility and social justice focus, and other critical support resources are working to attract and retain more students and that our strategic expansion of new degree and credential offerings via WP Online and on-campus are appealing to more graduate, adult degree completer, and international students. Together with our excellent faculty and dedicated staff, this growing student body makes William Paterson a true ‘Powerhouse of Progress.’”
In addition, the number of new transfer students on the main campus is up 4.6 percent percent, while the number of new graduate students increased 14.6 percent.
Additional growth has been fueled by continued increases in the number of students enrolled in WP Online, the University’s fully online degree platform, which launched in 2020. Currently, 3,952 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs through WP Online, an increase of 16.1 percent over fall 2023. Based on recent enrollment data, William Paterson is on track to be the State’s largest producer of MBAs within the next two to three years.
Enrollment currently includes 5,863 adult learners, both on the main campus and through WP Online, a gain of 9.3 percent since fall 2023. William Paterson is a leader in New Jersey in enrolling and graduating adult learners. The University launched a new College of Adult and Professional Studies in July 2024 for adult learners seeking to build community with peers, gain support for credit for prior learning, and discover pathways from non-credit training into William Paterson’s for-credit programs. William Paterson has doubled its campus percentage of adult learners in the past five years.
The University continued its gains in full-time, first-time freshman main campus retention, which rose 1.2 percent, from 73 percent in fall 2023 to 74.2 percent in fall 2024, including significant gains in the retention of full-time, first-time Black and Hispanic students. The number of resident students on campus is also its highest since the pandemic, with more than 1,300 students in seven residence halls.
William Paterson University, designated as a Minority-Serving Institution and a Hispanic -Serving Institution, was named one of New Jersey’s top regional public universities according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 edition of Best Colleges, as well as a Best Value School and a Top Performer on Social Mobility, which measures how well schools graduate students with exceptional financial need. Committed to accessibility and affordability, the University offers a four-year funding path for qualifying students to attend William Paterson tuition-free or at greatly reduced cost through its Pledge 4 Success program along with New Jersey’s Garden State Guarantee.
In addition, the University is committed to providing students with the support they need through its Will.Power.101 program of weekly student success workshops for first-year students, as well as by pairing each student with a Student Success Team that includes a professional advisor, a financial aid counselor, and a career coach.
“We’re excited to welcome the fall 2024 class to William Paterson University, where affordability and excellence go hand in hand. Our tuition is among the lowest among four-year universities in the state, and we’re committed to ensuring that a high-quality education remains within reach,” says George F. Kacenga, vice president for enrollment management. “Our remarkable growth this year in first-time, full-time students, main campus transfer students, and WP Online enrollment, speaks to the value students see in choosing William Paterson for their academic journey.”
William Paterson offers more than 150 academic programs, including a wide variety of accelerated degree programs, fully online degree programs, and certificate programs, offered in flexible formats.
“As more students continue to choose William Paterson, it demonstrates the value and importance of the education we provide,” says Stephen Quinn, associate vice president for University admissions. “With the gains we have seen across many student types, including first-time, transfer, graduate, international, and online students, William Paterson is proud to be at our highest overall enrollment since before the pandemic.”
As a powerhouse for new talent, William Paterson University offers unmatched support and next-level learning experiences. Together, we're reinventing what an excellent education looks like - here's how.
Our classrooms are never confined to four walls. Students work closely with faculty, get firsthand research experience, and discover fields they never knew existed. And because no two learners are alike, we offer flexible degree options, alternate credentials, and liberal transfer credits.
Your Success Is Our Priority
The transition to college can come with many questions, which is why all first-year Pioneers are paired with a Student Success Team.
This tailored team of experts is composed of a professional advisor, financial aid counselor, career coach, and starting sophomore year, a faculty mentor in the student’s major.
Discover What You Will. Power.
The first semester of college can be overwhelming, and Will. Power. 101, our first-year program, is designed to empower students throughout this life transition. In this semester-long course, students will explore what it means to be a powerhouse in academics, campus involvement and personal development, all while becoming more ingrained in the William Paterson community.
Mentorship That Goes Beyond The Classroom
We have exceptional faculty at William Paterson, and in addition to being experts in their fields, our professors strongly emphasize and prioritize mentorship. Here, students refine and grow in their skills while working alongside and building meaningful relationships with faculty.
We equip our students with the skills and resources they need to thrive, as both thoughtful members of society and career-ready graduates. See how you can excel at William Paterson.
