At a time when many universities are seeing their enrollment go down — or are fighting to keep it flat — William Paterson University announced it has hit an important milestone.
As of the beginning of the fall semester on Wednesday, the Wayne-based school now has an overall enrollment of 10,004.
The university welcomed more than 1,000 students to the Class of 2029, including students from 17 counties in New Jersey, 14 states, and 14 countries.
The milestone moment comes when you add all four classes — plus graduate students. And many of the students are adult and online learners.
“William Paterson’s distinctive approach to student success is clearly working, and more students and families are taking advantage of the excellent and affordable education that we provide,” President Richard Helldobler said.
“With a dedicated faculty and staff, extensive support resources, and a wide array of flexible on-campus and online offerings aligned with the opportunities in today’s job market, Willam Paterson is a real ‘Powerhouse of Progress’ for New Jersey.”
Enrollment growth has been fueled by the continued increases in the number of students enrolled in WP Online, the university’s fully online degree platform, which launched in 2020. Currently, 4,207 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs through WP Online, an increase of nearly 7.5 percent over fall 2024. In addition, WP Online saw a 12.25 percent increase in transfer students.
Graduate enrollment for fall 2025 is up 6 percent. Based on recent enrollment data, William Paterson awarded the most MBA degrees in New Jersey in 2024. The University also has the largest nursing enrollment among the state’s public regional universities and the largest on any single campus in New Jersey.
Enrollment currently includes 5,944 adult learners—students who are 24 or older—both on the main campus and through WP Online, a gain of nearly 3.5 percent since fall 2024. 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’s growth in enrollment also has been coupled with gains in retention for full-time, first-time freshman, 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 over 1,300 students in seven residence halls.
“William Paterson’s enrollment momentum reflects more than just numbers – it reflects the confidence students and families have in the value and culture we deliver,” George Kacenga, vice president for enrollment management, said. “By expanding access through WP Online, strengthening support systems like our Student Success Teams, and keeping tuition among the lowest of New Jersey’s four-year universities, we are helping students achieve their goals without compromise. The steady growth across international, transfer, graduate, adult, and online learners underscores that William Paterson is a place where students see opportunity, belonging, and a pathway to success.”
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 2025 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, university officials say they are 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.
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.
“In one of the most competitive and challenging enrollment landscapes, our growth isn’t just a number; it’s a testament to our unique value proposition, drawing students who seek more than a degree – they seek a destination,” Stephen Quinn, associate vice president for university admissions, said. “William Paterson University is a powerhouse in the state that is a driving force in the advancement of the lives of its students.”
