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Centenary University

Centenary University is a private campus in suburban Hackettstown, NJ. The school reports a United Methodist affiliation in its federal filings.

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What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income

key chart

Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

family-income band

$13,735

family income
under $30k

$13,416

$30–48k

$15,190

$48–75k

$19,819

$75–110k

$25,288

over $110k

These figures don't always rise with income — aid formulas can make a higher bracket cheaper.

Average net price

$20,5032023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at Centenary University fell from $30,250 (2008) to $20,503 (2023).

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$30,250
2009	$28,770
2010	$27,449
2011	$21,832
2012	$25,419
2013	$23,775
2014	$19,498
2015	$21,402
2016	$20,810
2017	$20,117
2018	$20,474
2019	$16,105
2020	$23,763
2021	$20,285
2022	$19,037
2023	$20,503

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$52,3622024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at Centenary University rose from $35,924 (2009) to $52,362 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$35,924
2010	$36,803
2011	$38,624
2012	$39,697
2013	$44,586
2014	$45,141
2015	$42,381
2016	$45,909
2017	$46,483
2018	$46,703
2019	$48,080
2020	$44,856
2021	$49,199
2022	$49,508
2023	$51,351
2024	$52,362

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition & fees

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

Tuition & fees — data
Year	Tuition & fees
2000	$14,500
2001	$15,780
2002	$16,480
2003	$17,986
2004	$18,450
2005	$19,840
2006	$22,415
2007	$23,950
2008	$24,930
2013	$30,540
2014	$30,942
2015	$31,754
2016	$32,098
2017	$32,580
2018	$32,998
2019	$33,492
2020	$34,498
2021	$34,498
2022	$35,934
2023	$37,732

IPEDS Published price 2000–01 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

Centenary University reports published tuition of $37,732 in this record. Centenary University's $37,732 tuition excludes other attendance costs; aid can reduce the bill. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

Centenary University reports 910 undergraduates. This count does not measure class size or advising access.

56% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at Centenary University within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

key chart

56%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at Centenary University rose from 29.2% (entered 1991) to 56% (entered 2018).

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1991 cohort	29.2%
1992 cohort	20.3%
1993 cohort	30.5%
1994 cohort	35.3%
1995 cohort	32.9%
1996 cohort	29.1%
1997 cohort	44.2%
1998 cohort	33.9%
1999 cohort	50.7%
2000 cohort	51%
2001 cohort	47.2%
2002 cohort	47.5%
2003 cohort	52%
2004 cohort	48.8%
2005 cohort	49.2%
2006 cohort	49.2%
2007 cohort	56.7%
2008 cohort	61.3%
2009 cohort	58.5%
2010 cohort	59.5%
2011 cohort	60.6%
2012 cohort	55.4%
2013 cohort	53.5%
2014 cohort	62.1%
2015 cohort	68.4%
2016 cohort	61.6%
2017 cohort	56.6%
2018 cohort	56%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1991–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

key chart

Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 (FY1997/98)	$11,783	$2,750
Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99)	$11,815	$2,750
Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00)	$11,669	$3,500
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	$11,553	$3,938
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	$13,971	$4,611
Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03)	$14,313	$6,625
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$15,625	$6,625
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$14,513	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$15,500	$8,125
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$15,907	$8,875
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$15,125	$10,500
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$16,500	$11,000
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$17,125	$10,500
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$19,500	$13,000
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$24,430	$12,500
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$24,160	$8,625
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$24,000	$6,278
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$25,000	$7,000
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$25,000	$8,750
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$25,000	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$25,872	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$25,000	$9,375
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$23,569	$9,250
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$23,163	$8,960

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$46,049

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$50,419

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$53,726

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years.

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

Centenary University admitted 1,453 of 1,749 applicants in Fall 2024. The 83.1% rate describes that application pool.

83.1%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $37,732 tuition · 2023–24 910 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Test-optional (considered) · Fall 2024

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

Centenary University: scores were considered but optional in the Fall 2024 admissions cycle.

Check current requirements with admissions.

In the Fall 2024 cycle, Centenary University received 1,749 applications and admitted 1,453 (83.1%), with 213 enrolling.

Acceptance rate

83.1%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2001	83.1%
Fall 2002	72.6%
Fall 2003	76.1%
Fall 2004	76.1%
Fall 2005	96.6%
Fall 2006	75.5%
Fall 2007	69.7%
Fall 2008	63.5%
Fall 2009	89.3%
Fall 2010	88.6%
Fall 2011	87.7%
Fall 2012	89.1%
Fall 2013	90.9%
Fall 2014	81.9%
Fall 2015	86.8%
Fall 2016	87.9%
Fall 2017	87%
Fall 2018	66.8%
Fall 2019	75%
Fall 2020	93%
Fall 2021	97.6%
Fall 2022	96.5%
Fall 2023	96.7%
Fall 2024	83.1%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2001–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

990–1170Fall 2021 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	800	1030
Fall 2002	780	1010
Fall 2003	800	1030
Fall 2004	800	1030
Fall 2005	820	1040
Fall 2006	840	1020
Fall 2007	830	1030
Fall 2008	820	980
Fall 2009	830	1020
Fall 2010	810	1020
Fall 2011	820	1000
Fall 2012	800	990
Fall 2013	820	1090
Fall 2014	820	1040
Fall 2015	830	1020
Fall 2016	830	1050
Fall 2017	890	1100
Fall 2018	870	1090
Fall 2019	938	1148
Fall 2020	895	1100
Fall 2021	990	1170

IPEDS Fall 2001–2021, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

15–22Fall 2021 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	15	21
Fall 2002	17	24
Fall 2003	17	20
Fall 2004	17	20
Fall 2005	16	17
Fall 2006	16	17
Fall 2007	20	21
Fall 2008	15	23
Fall 2009	16	20
Fall 2010	16	20
Fall 2011	16	21
Fall 2012	17	22
Fall 2013	18	23
Fall 2014	16	21
Fall 2015	17	24
Fall 2016	15	21
Fall 2017	19	24
Fall 2018	17	22
Fall 2019	15	25
Fall 2020	15	22
Fall 2021	15	22

IPEDS Fall 2001–2021, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

910Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at Centenary University fell from 1,549 (Fall 2002) to 910 (Fall 2024).

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	1,549
Fall 2003	1,705
Fall 2004	1,827
Fall 2005	1,875
Fall 2006	1,952
Fall 2007	2,238
Fall 2008	2,283
Fall 2009	2,140
Fall 2010	1,993
Fall 2011	1,915
Fall 2012	1,891
Fall 2013	1,708
Fall 2014	1,612
Fall 2015	1,548
Fall 2016	1,490
Fall 2017	1,351
Fall 2018	1,241
Fall 2019	1,183
Fall 2020	1,128
Fall 2021	1,111
Fall 2022	1,015
Fall 2023	934
Fall 2024	910

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

78%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at Centenary University has wandered from Fall 2003 to Fall 2023 — up to 87% at the peak — but ends near where it began, at 78%.

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2003 cohort	72%
Fall 2004 cohort	73%
Fall 2005 cohort	72%
Fall 2006 cohort	73%
Fall 2007 cohort	80%
Fall 2008 cohort	76%
Fall 2009 cohort	75%
Fall 2010 cohort	76%
Fall 2011 cohort	80%
Fall 2012 cohort	71%
Fall 2013 cohort	75%
Fall 2014 cohort	78%
Fall 2015 cohort	87%
Fall 2016 cohort	78%
Fall 2017 cohort	69%
Fall 2018 cohort	71%
Fall 2019 cohort	73%
Fall 2020 cohort	75%
Fall 2021 cohort	76%
Fall 2022 cohort	75%
Fall 2023 cohort	78%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2003–2023

More about Centenary University

Faculty pay at Centenary University averages $90,396 a year, annualized from reported monthly pay. Carnegie classes Centenary University as a primarily residential campus of 910 undergraduates — and 77.8% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

For Fall 2024, Centenary University considered scores; no usable range is filed. New Jersey benchmarks are not Centenary University's own range.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How Centenary University compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

Centenary University83.1%

New Jersey median73.3%

National median76.8%

Tuition

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

Centenary University$37,732

New Jersey median$17,014

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

Centenary University's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

Centenary University$53,726

New Jersey median$58,902

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

Centenary University, New Jersey and national reference values
Metric & basis	Centenary University	New Jersey median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	83.1%	73.3%	76.8%
TuitionScorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$37,732	$17,014	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$53,726	$58,902	$53,781

Published earnings by bachelor's field of study

For Centenary University, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.

Centenary University federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.

View 12 fields & earnings

Bachelor's field of study (CIP category)	Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion
Business Administration, Management and Operations	$72,527
Criminal Justice and Corrections	$67,181
Biology, General	$63,381
Social Work	$62,373
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	$61,358
Design and Applied Arts	$50,746
Sociology	$46,031
Special Education and Teaching	$45,622
Communication and Media Studies	$45,098
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities	$42,424
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services	$40,047
Agricultural Production Operations	$34,057

These 12 fields listed for Centenary University measure earnings after completion. The $53,726 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 34 additional Centenary University fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.

Frequently asked questions

What is Centenary University's acceptance rate?

83.1% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 1,453 admitted from 1,749 applicants.

How much does Centenary University cost?

At Centenary University, tuition is $37,732. Tuition is not the total cost of attendance; aid can reduce your bill.

What earnings data does Centenary University report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $53,726. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in New Jersey

Caldwell University — 71.3% admitted
Bloomfield College of Montclair State University — 69.7% admitted
Drew University — 67.8% admitted
Georgian Court University — 78.8% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.