Pillar College
Newark, NJ 07102
About Pillar College
Pillar College is a private two-year college in Newark, New Jersey, enrolling about 498 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $8,470 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $25,900. Student demographics in federal data include White (59.0%) and Hispanic or Latino (27.7%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Pillar College charges 12% below the national private non-profit median tuition ($25,900).
- Versus the New Jersey median, sticker tuition is about 2.0×.
- Average net price runs below the New Jersey median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 38.46%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $45,577.
Research findings
Finding
Average net price at Pillar College is about 67% below published tuition.
Published tuition is $25,900; average net price is $8,470 in the latest Scorecard extract.
Interpretation: Institutional aid and grants compress sticker price into a substantially lower typical undergraduate cost signal.
Limitation: Average net price masks variation by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the campus average.
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Pillar College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1245% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pillar College | $25,900 | $8,470 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| New Jersey (state median) | $12,950 | $11,024 | 84 |
| Urban (City) (locale median) | $15,200 | $20,053 | 1,346 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 67% below published tuition at Pillar College
Key findings
- Pillar College's average net price ($8,470) is 67% below published tuition ($25,900).
- Pillar College charges 12% below the national private non-profit median tuition ($25,900).
- Versus the New Jersey median, sticker tuition is about 2.0×.
- Average net price runs below the New Jersey median net price.
Pillar College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $25,900
Finding Pillar College charges 12% below the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $25,900. That is 12% below the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the New Jersey median ($12,950), sticker tuition is about 2.0×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 2.2×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Pillar College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Pillar College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Pillar College is $8,470.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $8,470 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $2,554 below the New Jersey median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $11,583 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Pillar College’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 67% lower after grants and scholarships.
Pillar College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Pillar College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
Completion, earnings, and net price together describe a campus where sticker price overstates typical undergraduate cost while outcomes remain at the high end of Scorecard distributions.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$25,900
Avg. net price
$8,470
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $15,139 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $7,114 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $3,181 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $4,411 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $103,600. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Pillar College is known for
Top program completions
- Bible/Biblical Studies71
- General Studies37
- Psychology, General21
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology, Other21
- Theology and Religious Vocations, Other4
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Pillar College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Pillar College is a good school for those looking for strong completion and solid mid-career earnings—especially where average net price sits well below published tuition (about 67% lower in this extract).
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Pillar College.
Campus
Location
Newark, NJ
City / state
- ZIP
- 07102
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is about 0.4× the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Mid East
- Carnegie
- Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields
Size
Enrollment
498
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 745
- Graduate
- 44
- Full-time share
- 97%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$21,483
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 69.94%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Pillar College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Pillar College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Pillar College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $17,204 | $17,204 | $13,176 |
| 2014 | $18,576 | $18,576 | $17,468 |
| 2015 | $19,440 | $19,440 | $17,971 |
| 2016 | $20,400 | $20,400 | $26,508 |
| 2017 | $21,076 | $21,076 | $23,525 |
| 2018 | $21,700 | $21,700 | $20,479 |
| 2019 | $22,756 | $22,756 | $18,562 |
| 2020 | $22,756 | $22,756 | $18,737 |
| 2021 | $22,756 | $22,756 | $21,481 |
| 2022 | $23,668 | $23,668 | $24,290 |
| 2023 | $24,820 | $24,820 | $5,804 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Pillar College reported total enrollment of about 498 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 9% male and 91% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (59.0%), Hispanic or Latino (27.7%), and Black or African American (10.6%). About 69.94% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 58.7% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
97.4% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Pillar College in 2024 is 498 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 745 students. Graduate enrollment is about 44 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
74.1%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
0.00% 100% Completion Time
38.46% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 0.00% of students graduating from Pillar College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Bible/Biblical Studies: 7% male / 93% female
- General Studies: 24% male / 76% female
- Psychology, General: 24% male / 76% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Pillar College graduates earn a median of $45,577 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Pillar College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $45,577. Median federal loan debt: $21,483. Average net price used in cost models: $8,470.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Pillar College graduates report median earnings of $45,577 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Pillar College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 9 programs by IPEDS completions (10 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Pillar College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Pillar College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Pillar College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$273,785
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- New Jersey median 0.02× the median ($15.5M)
- Mid East median 0.01× the median ($42.6M)
- U.S. median 0.01× the median ($26.4M)
- New Jersey median 0.08× the median ($5,117)
- Mid East median 0.02× the median ($16,427)
- U.S. median 0.03× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 33.3%
- New Jersey median 45.2 pp below median (78.6%)
- Mid East median 23.6 pp below median (56.9%)
- U.S. median 24.6 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $5,265
- New Jersey median 0.69× the median ($7,582)
- Mid East median 0.65× the median ($8,119)
- U.S. median 0.69× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $5,297
- New Jersey median 0.72× the median ($7,319)
- Mid East median 0.58× the median ($9,164)
- U.S. median 0.73× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Pillar College at a glance
Pillar College
Pillar College is a private non-profit institution in Newark, NJ, classified as Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Bible/Biblical StudiesGeneral StudiesPsychology, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian59.0%Hispanic or Latino27.7%Black or African American10.6%
Schools near Pillar College
Other campuses in Newark, NJ when available, plus nearby institutions in New Jersey.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within New Jersey, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Pillar College located?
Pillar College is located in Newark, NJ.
What is Pillar College's tuition?
Pillar College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $25,900 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $8,470 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Pillar College cost?
Reported tuition is $25,900 and average net price is $8,470 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $24,000 annually.
Why is Pillar College's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Pillar College, published tuition is $25,900 while average net price is $8,470—about 67% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Pillar College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($8,470), completion (38.5% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($45,577). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Pillar College?
Pillar College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 745 students, White (59.0%), Hispanic or Latino (27.7%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Pillar College?
About 58.7% of students at Pillar College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Pillar College earn?
Median earnings are $37,885 six years after entry and $45,577 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Pillar College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 38.5% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Pillar College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $21,483.
Is Pillar College public or private?
Pillar College is a private nonprofit institution located in Newark, NJ.
Is Pillar College an HBCU?
No. Pillar College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.