Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Caldwell, New Jersey
65.4% Acceptance Rate
Caldwell University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
65.4%Acceptance Rate
3.3Avg GPA
1165Avg SAT
$53,586Annual Cost
$53,843Grad Salary
45.9%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
65.4%
Avg GPA
3.3
Avg SAT
1165
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1125–1195
Need-Based Aid
45.9% receive Pell
Caldwell University, established in 1939 in Caldwell, New Jersey, is a private Catholic university ranked #58 in Regional Universities North by U.S. News. Known for its psychology, education, and nursing programs, Caldwell offers a liberal arts education with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The 70-acre campus features modern facilities like the Jennings Library and a state-of-the-art nursing simulation center.
Caldwell's commitment to service and ethics is reflected in its core curriculum and campus ministry programs. The university's proximity to New York City (just 20 miles away) provides internships in education, healthcare, and business. Caldwell also offers unique programs like art therapy and ABA (applied behavior analysis), along with NCAA Division II athletics and a tight-knit community atmosphere.
Caldwell University Acceptance Rate
At 65.4%, admission to Caldwell University is achievable for most students who meet the basic academic profile.
What formerly Caldwell College Admissions Looks For
- Whole-Person Review: Personal circumstances and career goals are weighed alongside grades.
- Flexible on GPA: Strong extracurriculars or work experience can offset an average transcript.
Selectivity at a Glance
Somewhat Selective
Selectivity scale: Somewhat Selective — 65.4% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.30 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.10 – 3.29
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.85
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Caldwell University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for Caldwell University is November 15 for Early Action applicants, with additional plans listed below.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 111 days left — Early Action
Early Action
November 15
Regular
February 1
💡 The scholarship deadline (December 1, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
formerly Caldwell College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at formerly Caldwell College is 3.3. That makes admissions here competitive, but not extremely selective. Most admitted students carry a mix of A's and B's.
In the 3.00–3.3 range, a high SAT or ACT score still carries real weight.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently — for an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.50–3.70.formerly Caldwell College GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.30 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.10 – 3.29
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.90 – 3.09
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.89
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Personal essay and letters of recommendation are not required but strongly recommended; test scores optional except for the St. Thomas Aquinas Scholarships.
- Priority application deadline is December 1; regular deadline is February 1 for Fall 2026.
- Founded 1939 by the Sisters of St. Dominic; the Enriched Core requires a course in Catholic and Dominican Tradition.
- Designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution; Nursing transfer applicants have a separate March 1 deadline.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at formerly Caldwell College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Caldwell University's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Caldwell University (formerly Caldwell College) Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if formerly Caldwell College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into formerly Caldwell College Without SAT or ACT?
formerly Caldwell College neither requires nor recommends test scores. Submit yours only if it's above the state or national average — otherwise, leaving it off works in your favor.
Caldwell University Average SAT Score: 1165
The average SAT score of admitted students at Caldwell University is 1165 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1165 — Less Competitive
This average is slightly below the national mean SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1195 SAT) to stand out. Below average? Caldwell University allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1125, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at formerly Caldwell College. Retaking multiple times is completely normal — most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | - | - | - |
| SAT Reading | - | - | - |
| SAT Composite | 1165 | 1125 | 1195 |
Below 1125, you're behind most admitted students; at 1195 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1150
Can I get into Caldwell University (formerly Caldwell College) with a 1200 SAT?
A 1200 SAT puts you ahead of most of formerly Caldwell College's admitted class — but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for formerly Caldwell College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Getting into formerly Caldwell College isn't the hard part — building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.
Don't skip the "strongly recommended" essay just because it's optional
Caldwell doesn't require a personal essay or letters of recommendation, but both are strongly encouraged - in a test-optional applicant pool, submitting them is a real way to stand out rather than blend into the no-extras default.
If aiming for the St. Thomas Aquinas Scholarship, submit test scores even though they're otherwise optional
General admission doesn't require SAT/ACT scores, but this specific merit scholarship does - if you have a strong score, submit it specifically to be considered for this award, not just for general admission.
Reference the Enriched Core and Dominican tradition directly if you want to show real fit
Every student takes a course in the Catholic and Dominican Tradition as part of Caldwell's Enriched Core. Naming this in your application, especially in an optional essay, signals you understand the mission beyond generic "small Catholic college" language.
Nursing applicants: hit the March 1 transfer deadline specifically
While most Caldwell programs run rolling admission, transfer applicants to Nursing must complete their application by March 1 - don't assume the general rolling timeline applies to this program.
Expert Insight:
Applicants sometimes treat "no essay required" as "essay doesn't matter" - but since it's strongly recommended and letters of recommendation are too, skipping both in a test-optional review leaves the file thinner than most successful applicants submit.
formerly Caldwell College Profile
Full Name
Caldwell University (formerly Caldwell College)
City
Caldwell
State
New Jersey
ZIP Code
07006-6195
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE)
Is a formerly Caldwell College Degree Worth It?
At $53,586/year against a $53,843 median graduate salary, formerly Caldwell College is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation — the numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
The average household income among admitted students is $80,600, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.72%.
How much does a degree from formerly Caldwell College Cost?
The sticker price is $53,586/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is typically much lower.
45.9% of students receive a Pell Grant and 69% take federal loans at formerly Caldwell College — file your FAFSA early and list formerly Caldwell College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a formerly Caldwell College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $53,843 — about 33% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Caldwell University. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL | 1148 | 23 |
| University of South Alabama | Mobile, AL | 1119 | 23 |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, AL | 1121 | 22 |
| Arkansas State University | Jonesboro, AR | 1119 | 22 |
| University of Central Arkansas | Conway, AR | 1117 | 22 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| University of La Verne | La Verne, CA | 1116 | 22 |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | Denver, CO | 1119 | 24 |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, CO | 1140 | 25 |
| Western Colorado University | Gunnison, CO | 1130 | 25 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Caldwell University. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| Toccoa Falls College | Toccoa Falls, GA | 1155 | 23 |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu | Honolulu, HI | 1155 | NA |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa | Honolulu, HI | 1157 | 24 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Caldwell University. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| University of Mobile | Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, AL | 1203 | 26 |
| John Brown University | Siloam Springs, AR | 1222 | 26 |
| Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR | 1212 | 25 |
Degree Programs at formerly Caldwell College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About formerly Caldwell College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Caldwell University run about $53,843 a year.
At about $53,586 a year, Caldwell University's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
About 45.9% receive a Pell Grant at Caldwell University — moderate odds, largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 65.4%, Caldwell University's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Caldwell University average a 3.3 GPA.
Caldwell University doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 3 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.9, Caldwell University becomes a harder reach — though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at Caldwell University — aim above 1165, ideally within the 1125–1195 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Caldwell University is November 15 for Early Action applicants.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is December 1, 2026. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.
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