2022 best colleges in New Jersey
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Net cost: The median annual cost of all students that receive any aid. This does not refer to the “sticker price”, the price listed by the college.
Earnings: The median earnings of all bachelor-level students 10 years after enrollment. This includes both students that do and do not graduate, across all majors.
Payback: The amount of time in years it takes to pay off the median net cost by the median earnings. For this calculation, the median earning of high school graduates (in the school’s home state) are deducted from the median earnings.
Degree premium: The difference between the school’s median earnings and the median earnings for all schools in the same state. This is called “Vs. state average” in school profiles below.
Ranking: The payback rate is divided by the degree premium (set as a percentage), the lower the number the higher the rank. (i.e. payback=1, degree premium 20% higher than state school median: 1/120% = .883.
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey
Admission rate: 6%
Grad rate: 97%
Net cost: $11,317
Payback: Under a year
Earnings: $95,689
Vs. state average: + $50,066
Economic score: 0.31
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark, New Jersey
Admission rate: 67%
Grad rate: 81%
Net cost: $19,706
Payback: 1.6 Years
Earnings: $80,043
Vs. state average: + $34,420
Economic score: 0.93
Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken, New Jersey
Admission rate: 54%
Grad rate: 88%
Net cost: $37,588
Payback: 2.3 Years
Earnings: $98,159
Vs. state average: + $52,536
Economic score: 1.06
Rutgers University-Camden
Camden, New Jersey
Admission rate: 77%
Grad rate: 69%
Net cost: $13,660
Payback: 1.6 Years
Earnings: $65,661
Vs. state average: + $20,038
Economic score: 1.08
Rutgers University-Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Admission rate: 75%
Grad rate: 71%
Net cost: $14,109
Payback: 1.6 Years
Earnings: $65,661
Vs. state average: + $20,038
Economic score: 1.14
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
Admission rate: 67%
Grad rate: 81%
Net cost: $21,654
Payback: 2.3 Years
Earnings: $65,661
Vs. state average: + $20,038
Economic score: 1.59
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus
Teaneck, New Jersey
Admission rate: 89%
Grad rate: 50%
Net cost: $15,147
Payback: 2.1 Years
Earnings: $55,994
Vs. state average: + $10,371
Economic score: 1.74
Saint Peter's University
Jersey City, New Jersey
Admission rate: 85%
Grad rate: 54%
Net cost: $11,957
Payback: 2.0 Years
Earnings: $51,027
Vs. state average: + $5,404
Economic score: 1.81
Seton Hall University
South Orange, New Jersey
Admission rate: 79%
Grad rate: 70%
Net cost: $29,845
Payback: 2.8 Years
Earnings: $68,441
Vs. state average: + $22,818
Economic score: 1.88
Ramapo College of New Jersey
Mahwah, New Jersey
Admission rate: 67%
Grad rate: 73%
Net cost: $21,729
Payback: 2.6 Years
Earnings: $60,019
Vs. state average: + $14,396
Economic score: 2.00
The College of New Jersey
Ewing, New Jersey
Admission rate: 52%
Grad rate: 85%
Net cost: $27,541
Payback: 2.9 Years
Earnings: $65,481
Vs. state average: + $19,858
Economic score: 2.01
Felician University
Lodi, New Jersey
Admission rate: 94%
Grad rate: 53%
Net cost: $16,877
Payback: 2.6 Years
Earnings: $54,650
Vs. state average: + $9,027
Economic score: 2.18
Caldwell University
Caldwell, New Jersey
Admission rate: 92%
Grad rate: 51%
Net cost: $15,601
Payback: 2.5 Years
Earnings: $51,823
Vs. state average: + $6,200
Economic score: 2.19
Montclair State University
Montclair, New Jersey
Admission rate: 83%
Grad rate: 71%
Net cost: $18,034
Payback: 2.7 Years
Earnings: $54,289
Vs. state average: + $8,666
Economic score: 2.31
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus
Madison, New Jersey
Admission rate: 87%
Grad rate: 56%
Net cost: $22,809
Payback: 3.1 Years
Earnings: $55,994
Vs. state average: + $10,371
Economic score: 2.55
Drew University
Madison, New Jersey
Admission rate: 74%
Grad rate: 63%
Net cost: $25,386
Payback: 3.2 Years
Earnings: $57,185
Vs. state average: + $11,562
Economic score: 2.58
Monmouth University
West Long Branch, New Jersey
Admission rate: 79%
Grad rate: 72%
Net cost: $29,548
Payback: 3.6 Years
Earnings: $59,513
Vs. state average: + $13,890
Economic score: 2.74
Stockton University
Galloway, New Jersey
Admission rate: 78%
Grad rate: 77%
Net cost: $19,678
Payback: 3.2 Years
Earnings: $51,729
Vs. state average: + $6,106
Economic score: 2.78
Centenary University
Hackettstown, New Jersey
Admission rate: 93%
Grad rate: 61%
Net cost: $20,474
Payback: 3.3 Years
Earnings: $51,404
Vs. state average: + $5,781
Economic score: 2.90
Rider University
Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Admission rate: 76%
Grad rate: 68%
Net cost: $27,964
Payback: 3.7 Years
Earnings: $56,442
Vs. state average: + $10,819
Economic score: 2.99
