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New Britain, CT · Danbury, CT
| Charter Oak State College | Western Connecticut State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $15,815/yr | $17,604/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | No data reported | $13,507/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $18,683 | $24,147 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | No data reported | $13,716/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $15,815/yr | $16,697/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | No data reported | $18,737/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | No data reported | $21,318/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $198/mo | $256/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | No data reported | $15,659/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $7,400/yr | $9,282/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $450/yr | $1,200/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | No data reported | $1,438/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $23,210/yr | $24,877/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $8,506/yr | $13,401/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $8,506/yr | $16,901/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 44% | 35% |
| Students taking federal loans | 45% | 49% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | No data reported | 87% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | No data reported | 1040–1170 |
| SAT average | No data reported | 1110 |
| Admissions data from | No data reported | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | No data reported | 5,457 |
| Students accepted | No data reported | 4,440 |
| Students who enrolled | No data reported | 711 |
| Accepted students who enroll | No data reported | 16% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | No data reported | 4% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | No data reported | 1% |
| High-school GPA | No data reported | Required |
| High-school transcript | No data reported | Required |
| Essay | No data reported | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Recommendation letters | No data reported | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | No data reported | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | No data reported | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | No data reported | Not considered |
| Work experience | No data reported | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | No data reported | Required |
| Other admission tests | No data reported | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | No data reported | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 67% | 52% |
| Freshmen who come back | 100% | 73% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $64,209/yr | $59,115/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $36,661–$90,195 | $31,567–$86,883 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 60% | 55% |
| White students graduating | 100% | 54% |
| Black students graduating | No data reported | 45% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 100% | 48% |
| Asian students graduating | No data reported | 56% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $53,779/yr | $45,997/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 62% | 76% |
| Graduate on time | 100% | 33% |
| Pell students who graduate | 67% | 49% |
| First-gen students who finish | 58% | 52% |
| Low-income students who finish | 48% | 45% |
| Students who transfer out | No data reported | 26% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $60,149/yr | $53,163/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Health Professions 21% · Business, Management & Marketing 19% · Liberal Arts & General Studies 18% | Business, Management & Marketing 26% · Health Professions 14% · Homeland Security & Protective Services 9% |
| Most popular program | Health Professions — 21% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 26% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 19% of degrees | Health Professions — 14% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 18% of degrees | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 9% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Family & Consumer Sciences — 12% of degrees | Psychology — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 11% of degrees | Visual & Performing Arts — 8% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Human Resources Management and Services — $80,486/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $127,107/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 0% | 7.7% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 1,821 | 3,511 |
| Students per professor | 15 : 1 | 11 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 85 | 602 |
| Average professor pay | No data reported | $11,406/mo |
| Full-time professors | 6% | 100% |
| Fully online | Yes — fully online | No |
| Accredited by | New England Commission on Higher Education | New England Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $35,792 | $49,923 |
| Setting | Suburb (large) | City (small) |
| Location | New Britain, CT | Danbury, CT |
| Region | New England | New England |
| Founded | 1973 | 1893 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Baccalaureate Colleges: Arts & Sciences Focus | Master's Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 1% | 0.6% |
| Men | 21% | 50% |
| Women | 79% | 50% |
| White students | 47% | 47% |
| Black students | 22% | 11% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 23% | 30% |
| Asian students | 3% | 4.3% |
| Two or more races | 2.9% | 5.7% |
| Other / not reported | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 55% | 38% |
| Part-time students | 66% | 9.4% |
| Students age 25+ | 84% | 12% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $3,461/yr | $16,024/yr |
| Endowment | $2.4M | $28.3M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | No — no campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | No data reported | 1,590 |
| Required to live on campus | No data reported | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | No data reported | $8,630/yr |
| Meal plan charge | No data reported | $5,800/yr |
| Meal plan offered | No | Yes |
| Meals per week | No data reported | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | No | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | Yes |
| ROTC | No | Yes — Army, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | Yes | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | No | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | No | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | No | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | No data reported | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | No intercollegiate athletics reported | NCAA Division III with football |
| Football team | No data reported | Yes |
| Varsity teams | No data reported | 21 |
| Student athletes | No data reported | 526 |
| Athletic scholarships | No data reported | $0 |
| Athletics budget | No data reported | $4.7M |
| Athletics revenue | No data reported | $4.7M |
| Recruiting spend | No data reported | $8,604 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.