Stockton University
Galloway, New Jersey · Public · 88.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 62/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Stockton University scores 62/100 (Fair Value). Average 6-year earnings of $37,300 rise to a median $57,602 by year 10, payback period is 9.9 years, and median debt of $20,500 against those six-year earnings produces a 0.55 debt-to-earnings ratio. The weakest sub-score is repayment rate at 40/100 (70.3% reduce principal at three years), suggesting a non-trivial tail of borrowers struggle to pay down debt. Stockton serves 7,537 students with a 42.3% Pell rate from its Galloway NJ campus near the Atlantic City corridor. Bigger humanities programs (psychology, communications) produce weaker individual ROI but still benefit from low NJ in-state tuition.
Stockton University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $16,266/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $24,524/yr |
| Average net price | $20,670/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $82,680 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $57,602 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $217 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 68.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,537 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $16,266/year ($24,524/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $20,670/year, or roughly $82,680 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $15,135/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $28,601/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,500, which works out to about $217 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($37,300) and comes to 0.55, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $15,135 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,264 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,964 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,140 |
| $110,001+ | $28,601 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $15,135 net, with a notable inversion: the $30,001-$48,000 tier actually pays less at $14,264, the cheapest bracket. Combined with Pell and NJ TAG stacking, the low-income four-year cost of $60,540 against $57,602 in 10-year earnings is genuinely workable, especially in higher-earning majors like nursing, business, or info science.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households earning $48,001-$75,000 pay $18,964 and $75,001-$110,000 pay $26,140 net. The mid-bracket step-up is significant. Middle-income four-year cost of $75,856 to $104,560 is workable but tight; major selection becomes critical.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $28,601 net, or $114,404 over four years. Out-of-state full-pay families ($24,524 tuition + room/board) get a less-compelling deal; the school's value proposition is built around NJ in-state pricing.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Stockton University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $64,060 | C+ |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $63,295 | D |
| Psychology | $50,947 | D |
| Political Science and Government | $55,408 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $54,628 | C |
| Biology | $59,151 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $97,739 | B+ |
| Communication and Media Studies | $50,820 | D |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $58,319 | D |
| Social Work | $59,102 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Stockton's strongest program: 82 graduates, $81,885 first-year earnings rising to $97,739 by year four, $27,000 debt and a 0.33 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B+ grade. NJ metropolitan hospital pay scales drive strong wage outcomes. Combined with the school's strong overall completion rate, this is a strong nursing-program value.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business is Stockton's largest program by graduate count (355) with $43,533 first-year and $64,060 four-year earnings against $22,500 debt for a 0.517 debt-to-earnings ratio and C+ grade. Solid mainstream choice with strong NJ regional employer absorption. The volume of graduates suggests a well-developed business school with consistent outcomes.
Psychology
Psychology produces 233 graduates with $28,046 first-year and $50,947 four-year earnings against $24,500 debt for a 0.874 debt-to-earnings ratio and D grade.
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
Health Sciences is the second-largest major with 289 graduates but D ROI grade: $25,791 first-year and $63,295 four-year earnings against $22,500 debt for a 0.872 debt-to-earnings ratio. The huge gap between year-1 and year-4 earnings reflects pipeline majors continuing to allied-health graduate programs (PT, OT, PA) where wages jump. Treat the D grade as misleading for grad-school-bound students.
Biology
Biology has 120 graduates with $30,447 first-year and $59,151 four-year earnings against $21,770 debt for a 0.715 debt-to-earnings ratio and D grade. Pattern matches health sciences: weak terminal economics, strong pre-grad/pre-med trajectory. Workable as a pre-health track at Stockton's cost level; weak as a terminal degree.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 66.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 70.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 69.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 73.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Stockton University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 88.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 500-610 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 530-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-25 |
| Enrollment | 7,537 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 42.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,456 |
Stockton admits 88.9% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 500-610 math and 530-620 reading, and ACT mid-range 21-25. The 68.5% completion rate is strong for an open-ish admission profile.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Stockton's completion rate is 68.5%.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton University (this school) | 62 | $20,670 | $57,602 |
| Rowan University | 66 | $22,408 | $59,988 |
| Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | 63 | $19,550 | $63,435 |
| Empire State University | 61 | $11,676 | $54,080 |
| University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | 61 | $13,369 | $52,528 |
| Bloomfield College of Montclair State University | 50 | $28,014 | $61,415 |
Who Thrives Here
With 7,537 students and 42.3% Pell, it's a legitimately accessible institution. Students considering Psychology (233 grads), Health Sciences (289 grads), or Liberal Arts (159 grads) should run major-specific math: these large humanities-adjacent majors produce D and F grades schoolwide despite the strong institutional metrics.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Stockton University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $20,670 a year after aid ($82,680 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $57,602 a decade out, the cost takes about 9.9 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: its 68.5% graduation rate. What to keep an eye on: a three-year loan repayment rate of 70.3% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $20,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $37,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Stockton University: Common Questions
Is Stockton University worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Stockton University is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 62/100 on our ROI scale. At $20,670 a year after aid ($82,680 over four years) against $57,602 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 9.9 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Stockton University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $20,670 a year, or roughly $82,680 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Stockton University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $57,602 ten years after enrolling, roughly $15,802 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Stockton University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 9.9 years for Stockton University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Stockton University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,500, against average earnings of $37,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Stockton University?
The six-year graduation rate is 68.5%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.