
Lakewood, NJprivate nonprofitytclakewood.com
Admit rate has ranged 59%–98% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Yeshiva Toras Chaim in Lakewood, NJ, is a small, faith-focused institution offering an intensive Talmudic Studies program. With an acceptance rate that varies widely by source (from 44% to 100%), it caters almost exclusively to Orthodox Jewish men seeking deep religious study alongside minimal secular coursework. The school's graduation rate hovers around 19-31%, but those who complete their degrees report strong post-graduate earnings.
Test-blind — scores not considered
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
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Outcomes & value
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Yeshiva Toras Chaim's admissions process is inconsistently reported, with Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. ranging from 44% (Niche, EduRank) to 98-100% (Sallie, CampusReel, School Authority). The disparity suggests varying selectivity based on applicant pool or reporting methods. The school has a rolling admissions deadline and does not require SAT/ACT scores. Notably, it ranks among the top 13% of 'most difficult universities to gain admission to' nationally per EduRank, though this contrasts sharply with other sources describing it as 'open to anybody.'
The yeshiva offers a singular bachelor's degree in Talmudic Studies, with coursework focused on Talmud, Jewish Ethics, and Codes of Law (Appily). It's classified as a 'Special Focus Four-Year: Faith-Related' institution (CollegeRaptor). The student-to-faculty ratio is concerning at 25:1 — among the worst for instructional attention nationally (CollegeFactual). About 33 degrees are awarded annually, all in Philosophy and Religious Studies (Data USA). The graduation rate ranges from 19% (College Scorecard) to 31% (My Future), significantly below the national average for four-year colleges.
As a men's Orthodox Jewish institution, campus life revolves around religious observance and study. Limited data suggests housing is available, though specifics are sparse. The school has no reported athletic programs or Greek life. Student reviews emphasize a tight-knit religious community rather than traditional college amenities. With no federal student loan recipients (CollegeFactual), the student body appears largely self-selecting from within Orthodox Jewish networks.
Graduation rates are notably low (19-22% per College Scorecard and Tuition Tracker), but alumni who complete degrees report strong earnings — $62,510 average early career salary, 27% above the national average (CollegeFactual). The lack of federal loan data suggests most students avoid traditional student debt. The outcomes reflect the school's niche: it serves primarily those committed to rabbinical or Jewish educational careers rather than conventional workforce preparation.
Annual tuition runs $21,728 (CollegeData), significantly below the national average for private colleges. 71% of students receive institutional grants averaging $12,113, while 32% qualify for Federal Pell Grants ($6,643). Notably, 0% of students take federal loans — an extreme outlier in higher education (CollegeFactual). The combination suggests either exceptional institutional aid or a student body that avoids debt on religious grounds.
Yeshiva Toras Chaim is an anomaly even among religious colleges. Its singular focus on Talmudic Studies creates an environment akin to a traditional yeshiva with nominal college accreditation. The wildly conflicting Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. reports hint at its insular nature — likely highly selective within Orthodox Jewish circles but open to most applicants from that community. The total absence of federal loan recipients and strong post-grad earnings for completers suggest it serves a very specific population with alternative success metrics. This isn't a school for the undecided: it's for those fully committed to Orthodox Jewish scholarship as both education and vocation.