Why This Matters

  • 59 COLLEGES IN NEW JERSEY

    Students have plenty of choices when it comes to institutions of higher education. According to College Navigator, New Jersey boasts 59 four-year colleges.

  • $14,960 AVERAGE IN-STATE TUITION & FEES

    The average student will pay $14,960 in in-state tuition and fees during the 2021-22 school year, based on data from College Board.

  • $14,800 FINANCIAL AID PER U.S. STUDENT

    Federal, state, and institutional aid to help full-time undergraduate students pay for college in the 2020-21 school year totaled about $14,800 per student.

Our Research

This list features some of the best brick-and-mortar schools in New Jersey. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. We included liberal arts colleges and research universities as well as small, midsize, and large institutions. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The colleges on our list are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), a reputable organization that examines the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of education programs in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for on-campus students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

The Top 50 Colleges in New Jersey

Best Colleges In New Jersey
01
Intelligent Pick
Princeton University
01
Best Public Institution
Rutgers University at New Brunswick
01
Best Co-op Program
Stevens Institute of Technology
01
Best Honors College
New Jersey Institute of Technology
01
Best Criminal Justice Program
Rutgers University at Newark
01
Best Christian Institution
Seton Hall University
01
Best Course Selection
Montclair State University
01
Best Study Abroad Program
The College of New Jersey
01
Best Theater Program
Rutgers University at Camden
01
Best Medical School
Rowan University
01

Drew University
01

Ramapo College of New Jersey
01

Rider University
01

Stockton University
01

Fairleigh Dickinson University
01

Saint Peter's University
01

Caldwell University
01

William Paterson University of New Jersey
01

Centenary University
01

Georgian Court University
01

Kean University
01

Bloomfield College
01

New Jersey City University
01

Monmouth University

 

What You Should Know About Graduating From College in New Jersey

New Jersey’s thriving economy means graduates will have their pick of fulfilling careers. Recent data shows that many of New Jersey’s hardworking residents are employed in trade, transportation, and utilities positions. These positions account for 872,200 jobs, but there are many other employment options. Professional and business careers, health and education services,  government jobs, and retail positions comprise the other four spots in New Jersey’s top five industries.

For workers with bachelor’s degrees, the list of growing careers is a diverse one. The number of positions for animal scientists, for example, is expected to increase by 100% by 2030. Other careers that should see rapid growth include agents and talent managers, coaches and scouts, athletic trainers, and museum technicians and conservators.

Employers in New Jersey are looking for graduates from all disciplines. Some of New Jersey’s largest employers include the research department at the New Jersey Medical School, United Airlines, Samsung Electronics, Resorts Casino Hotel, and Princeton University.

What’s Next?

Many students turn to financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, and loans to pay for college. If you’re considering calling one of New Jersey’s universities home for the next four years, you need to know what aid the state provides.