Why This Matters

  • THERE ARE 36 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS IN NEW JERSEY

    New Jersey has 36 community college associate degree programs for you to choose from, according to data from College Navigator.

  • NEW JERSEY IN-DISTRICT STUDENTS PAID $5,667 IN TUITION

    An average of $5,667 in tuition was paid by in-district New Jersey community college students for the 2022-23 school year.

  • 80.6% OF U.S. COLLEGE STUDENTS RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID

    According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 452,493 U.S. college students — or 80.6% — were awarded some form of financial aid for the 2019-20 academic year.

Our Research

This list features some of the best community colleges 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 small, midsize, and large colleges as well as trade, technical, and vocational programs. 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 Accreditation (MSCHE), a reputable organization that examines 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 students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

The Top 50 Community Colleges in New Jersey

Best Community Colleges In New Jersey Badge 2023
01
Intelligent Pick
Raritan Valley Community College
01
Best Partnerships
Brookdale Community College
01
Best Student Support Services
Warren County Community College
01
Best Honors Program
Union County College
01
Best for Transfer Students
County College of Morris
01
Best Alumni Benefits
Ocean County College
01
Best Regional School
Rowan College of South Jersey
01
Best Faculty
Mercer County Community College
01
Best Curriculum
Bergen Community College
01
Best for Veterans
Rowan College at Burlington County
01

Middlesex County College
01

Camden County College
01

Essex County College
01

Sussex County Community College
01

Hudson County Community College
01

Atlantic Cape Community College
01

Salem Community College

What You Should Know About Graduating From Community College in New Jersey

When researching community college programs in New Jersey, you may want to look at some of the highest-paying career fields for associate degree graduates. Radiation therapists and nuclear medicine technologists can earn upwards of $100,000 per year, with funeral home managers and MRI technologists close behind.

Jobs with the highest number of projected openings is another factor to consider. Preschool teachers are needed in New Jersey, along with paralegals and legal assistants. There are also plenty of openings for human resources assistants and dental hygienists.

Declining employment is another helpful statistic to know. New Jersey nuclear technicians are in decline, as are desktop publishers. Legal support work is also one of the career fields with a fast decline rate.

What’s Next?

Part of your research of New Jersey community colleges should include financial aid. Below, we’ve listed some of the best state and federal online resources with information about financial assistance for two-year programs.

  • New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA). Prospective students can find plenty of information about paying for college at the HESAA website. This resource helps students plan for their education and contains links to financial aid programs.
  • Federal Student Aid. Billions in financial aid are awarded by the U.S. Department of Education each year. Apply for scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study programs by first completing the online FAFSA. If you have questions about eligibility, head over to the FAFSA4caster to learn more.
  • CareerOneStop. The Bureau of Labor Statistics sponsors this resource, where you’ll find information about fellowships, scholarships, and grants. The data can be filtered by your state of residence and the degree level you’re searching for to narrow down the thousands of options.