Public Graduate Fair 45/100

Thomas Edison State University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Trenton, New Jersey

About Thomas Edison State University

Thinking about Thomas Edison State University, a college in New Jersey where more students graduate in Interdisciplinary Studies than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Thomas Edison State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Trenton, New Jersey. It enrolls 6,707 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
35.7%
Net Price
—
Median Earnings (10yr)
$69,331
Enrollment
6,707
Student : Faculty
15:1

Accreditor Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Fair
45/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes —
Value —
Affordability 21
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Thomas Edison State University does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. Thomas Edison State University has not reported one, so ask the financial aid office for a written estimate before comparing it against anywhere else.

Average Net Price
—
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
24%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
24%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$6,838
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,856
Room & Board (off-campus)
$5,170
Books & Supplies
$1,700
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$500

Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)


Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$2,233
10% percentile
$3,987
25% percentile
$12,500
Median percentile
$13,225
75% percentile
$23,071
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $7,612 ↓ $4,888
No Pell $8,162 ↓ $4,338
Dependent students $6,314 ↓ $6,186
Independent students $8,053 ↓ $4,447
Female students $8,332 ↓ $4,168
Male students $7,282 ↓ $5,218
Pell recipients: 16.6% (2,080 students)No Pell: 17.8% (2,230 students)Dependent students: 13.8% (1,725 students)Independent students: 17.6% (2,200 students)Female students: 18.2% (2,276 students)Male students: 15.9% (1,989 students)Overall Median$12,500
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,458, less than completers ($12,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

36% of students who start here finish within six years. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
36%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $69,331 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$69,331
Earning > $25K
84%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$65,000$66,000$67,500$68,500$70,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$44,700

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$75,700

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$43,400

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$56,100

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$81,700

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $31,000, about 41% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 13.6 pts across 6 years
55.9%1yr61.7%3yr69.7%5yr69.5%7yr
What this signals: Moderate. Only 69% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 6,707 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 44% are the first in their family to go to college, and 98% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
6,707
Part-Time
98%
First-Generation
44%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 42.7% 2,864
Hispanic 16.5% 1,107
Black 16.0% 1,075
Other 4.8% 319
Asian 4.2% 282
International 1.3% 85
White: 42.7% (2,864 students)Hispanic: 16.5% (1,107 students)Black: 16.0% (1,075 students)Other: 4.8% (319 students)Asian: 4.2% (282 students)International: 1.3% (85 students)Total6,707

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Thomas Edison State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Small City Trenton, New Jersey
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
88% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Liberal Arts graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Thomas Edison State University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 59 distinct programs across 15 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

2 Programs
16 Programs
7 Programs
3 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 15 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
15:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$0
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$11M
Modest endowment

Pros & Cons of Thomas Edison State University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Thomas Edison State University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Reasonable class sizes
  • Above-average post-graduation earnings
  • First-gen-friendly student body
  • Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
  • Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for: Based on the data, Thomas Edison State University is a fit for working adults or students needing part-time study options; students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.

Frequently Asked Questions about Thomas Edison State University

The questions families ask most about Thomas Edison State University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

What is Thomas Edison State University known for?
Mostly Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Liberal Arts, Business Administration. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Thomas Edison State University graduates earn?
About $69,331 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Thomas Edison State University accredited?
Yes. Thomas Edison State University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Thomas Edison State University?
6,707 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Thomas Edison State University?
36% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Thomas Edison State University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Thomas Edison State University located?
Thomas Edison State University is located in Trenton, New Jersey.
What programs does Thomas Edison State University offer?
59 different programs, most commonly Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Liberal Arts, Business Administration. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Thomas Edison State University?
15 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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