Centenary University: A Comprehensive Profile

Centenary University, a private, co-educational institution rooted in Hackettstown, New Jersey, boasts a rich history and a commitment to student success. With additional locations, including an equestrian center in Long Valley, N.J., and a campus in Parsippany, the University serves approximately 1,100 undergraduate students alongside a nearly equal number of adult and graduate students.

A History of Evolution

Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary University has undergone a remarkable transformation. Initially established as the Centenary Collegiate Institute (CCI), a coeducational preparatory school, it transitioned to a girls' preparatory school in 1910. The institution further evolved into a junior college for women in 1940, followed by a four-year women's college in 1976. In 1988, Centenary embraced coeducation, becoming a baccalaureate-degree-granting institution. The University achieved master-degree-granting status in 1995 and, in 2016, attained University status, now offering a doctoral program. In 2024 Centenary University and the Ideal Institute of Technology joined forces to offer both vocational training and higher education. The name was chosen to commemorate the centennial of Methodism in the United States. It was built for $200,000. George H. Whitney was the first president.

Historical Names

The University has operated under several names throughout its history, reflecting its changing scope and mission:

Centenary Collegiate Institute (1867-1940)
Centenary Junior College (1940-1956)
Centenary College for Women (1956-1976)
Centenary College (1976-2016)

Accreditation and Affiliations

Centenary University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and holds approval from the University Senate of the United Methodist Church.

Campus Locations and Accessibility

Centenary University operates across multiple locations, each offering unique advantages:

Hackettstown Campus: Situated in Northwest New Jersey, in the heart of the Kittatinny Mountain range, the Hackettstown campus provides a serene environment, while remaining accessible to major metropolitan centers. It is approximately a 75-minute drive or a two-hour train ride to Manhattan and a two-hour drive to Philadelphia. The main campus is home to most of the school's academic, administrative, athletic and collegiate activities, as well as housing for its undergraduate students. It consists of ten main buildings and eight residence buildings. The Edward W. Seay Administration Building, the oldest building on campus, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
Parsippany Campus: The School of Professional Studies (SPS) is located in a modern corporate office park in Parsippany, along one of New Jersey's busiest corporate corridors. The Parsippany campus is 30 minutes east of Hackettstown and only 40 minutes from Manhattan.
Equestrian Center: Located in Long Valley, New Jersey, the Equine Center is an impressive facility that hosts one of the nation's top equestrian programs. It consists of several large paddocks, an outdoor eventing course, two indoor arenas and an outdoor arena. The United States Equestrian Team (USET) building is the main building of the equestrian center with its main offices, classrooms, a lounge, dining services, and the large indoor arena.
Environmental Science Center: Located about a mile off the main campus, it is leased to Centenary by New Jeresy Fish and Wildlife as part of the Hackettstown Fish Hatchery.

Academic Programs and Faculty

Centenary University offers a diverse range of academic programs, including:

24 Bachelor Degree programs with 31 distinct concentrations
3 Associate Degree programs
10 Education Certification Programs
20 minors
A Certificate program in Social Media Marketing
Traditional Master's Programs in Business Administration, Counseling, Clinical Counseling, Educational Leadership, Educational Practice, Instructional Leadership, Leadership and Public Administration, School Counseling, and Special Education
A doctoral program in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.), approved by the New Jersey Department of Education to grant School Administrator Certification
The School of Professional Studies (SPS) offers programs leading to Associate's, Bachelor's and MBA degrees. Centenary offers the A.A. in Liberal Arts, B.A. in Sociology, B.S. in Business Administration, the MBA, and the M.A. in Leadership and Public Administration, and M.Ed. in Educational Practice in an online or hybrid format.

Centenary University's faculty includes Fulbright Scholars and other nationally recognized academics, experienced business executives, talented artists, respected scientists, and equine experts. They have all come to Centenary because they have a passion for teaching and enjoy connecting with students in small classes. Each faculty member makes it her or his responsibility to help each student get the most out of her or his Centenary experience. The undergraduate student to faculty ratio is 10:1.

Signature Programs

Centenary University is known for several distinctive programs:

Equestrian Program: The nationally recognized equestrian program operates in an impressive Equine Center in Long Valley, New Jersey. The Equine Studies program includes a pre-veterinary program, and Centenary riders regularly win national competitions.
Fine Arts Program: The Fine Arts program draws thousands of people annually to musical and theatrical performances in the new Lackland Center. The Centenary Stage Company is a not-for-profit professional equity theatre in residence at the University, which features more than a hundred programs annually. The Company draws support from a dozen foundations and corporations as well as hundreds of individual supporters, and it is thoroughly integrated with the undergraduate Theatre program.
Environmental Science Center: The Environmental Science Center at the Charles O. Hayford Fish Hatchery opened in 2013. The Center features an innovative laboratory, classroom and faculty research space, and serves as an experiential learning facility for students. The program works with the Department of Environmental Protection (NJ) and the Natural and Historic Resources Group.
Business Programs: Business is the largest undergraduate major, including a Sports Management program with close connections to major league sports, as well as the only undergraduate Social Media Marketing program in the tristate area. We have an innovative Social Media Center, #theVIBE, on both the Hackettstown and the Parsippany campus.
Criminal Justice Program: The Criminal Justice program sends graduates to local, state, and federal law enforcement careers.

Student Life and Athletics

Centenary University provides a vibrant student life experience:

Centenary has international students from more than 20 countries who help to enrich campus life.
Centenary has an agreement with Sussex County Community College, where some Sussex athletes and students have the option to live on Centenary's campus. Sussex students may only live the traditional dormitories and not the apartment-style buildings.
Centenary University teams participate in fourteen NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports. The Cyclones compete in the Atlantic East Conference, joining in the 2021-22 season, becoming the first non-Catholic member institution. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, equestrian, lacrosse, soccer and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, equestrian, flag football, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball. Women's wrestling is also offered as a club sport. In 2009 Centenary's Intercollegiate Horse Show Association team won the National Championships in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Admissions and Enrollment

Centenary University received 1,294 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 2.71% annual growth. Out of those 1,294 applicants, 1,251 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 96.7% acceptance rate. There were 1,453 students enrolled at Centenary University in 2023. Centenary University has an overall enrollment yield of 14.5%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

The enrolled student population at Centenary University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 62% White, 15.6% Hispanic or Latino, 5.64% Black or African American, 2% Asian, 0.138% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0688% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Costs and Financial Aid

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Centenary University is $36,636, which is $12,061 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,575). After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $22,838. In 2023, 94% of undergraduate students attending Centenary University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 81% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans. In 2021 the default rate for borrower's at Centenary University was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 392 total borrowers.

Outcomes and Rankings

The success of Centenary students extends well beyond the classroom. An astounding 95% of graduates have jobs or are attending graduate school within a year after graduation, and 73% of those graduates are employed in their field of study. The University has the second highest graduation rate among private colleges and universities in New Jersey, second only to Princeton University. In the 2026 edition of Best Colleges, Centenary University is ranked No. #98 in Regional Universities North. It's also ranked No. #11 in Top Performers on Social Mobility. The four-year graduation rate is 47%. Six years after graduation, the median salary for graduates is $46,049.

Endowment and Operations

Centenary University has an endowment valued at nearly $15.5M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. In 2023, Centenary University had a total salary expenditure of 38.7M.

Notable Events

In 1886, a 19-year-old kitchen worker at CCI named Tillie Smith was "outraged" and murdered in a field just off campus. A janitor at CCI named James Titus was convicted of the crime based on circumstantial evidence strongly influenced by yellow journalism. In 1957, a student-run college radio station, WNTI, began broadcasting on campus. In 1999, Centenary founded the Center for Adult and Professional Studies program.

Mission, Vision, and Focus

Centenary University delivers accredited degree programs and other dynamic learning experiences to prepare students for regional and global professions of critical thought and purposeful action within a supportive environment immersed in a culture of service. The University focuses on developing students emotionally, intellectually, and interculturally. Centenary's vision is to be the intellectual, economic, & cultural Heart of the Skylands region.

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