2023 Best Colleges in New Jersey
44
Colleges
$58,656
Avg Salary*
50%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
It's not easy to decide which college to attend when you have so many options available. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Top New Jersey Colleges ranking is part of that endeavor.
After analyzing 44 schools in New Jersey, we came up with our list of those that offered the highest quality education. Our ranking is based on over 20 objective factors, including post graduate earnings, freshman retention, and graduation rate. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another.
Get more details on our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location or field of study and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another!
Top Colleges in New Jersey
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Princeton University tops this year’s ranking as the best school in New Jersey for overall quality.Princeton, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,075 students in 2020-2021.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 87%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Princeton make an average of $95,689 per year during the early years of their career.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stevens Institute of Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Colleges in New Jersey list. Stevens Institute of Technology is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Hoboken, New Jersey that handed out 2,862 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Stevens go into careers with an average salary of $98,159 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Stevens Institute of Technology
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Rutgers University - New Brunswick helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in New Jersey. Rutgers New Brunswick is a public institution located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13,381 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $65,661 during the early years of their career..
Full Rutgers University - New Brunswick Report
Out of the 44 schools in New Jersey that were part of this year’s ranking, New Jersey Institute of Technology landed the #4 spot on the list. NJIT is located in Newark, New Jersey and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3,020 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $80,043 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on New Jersey Institute of Technology
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The College of New Jersey. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Colleges in New Jersey list. The College of New Jersey is a medium-sized public school located in Ewing, New Jersey that handed out 2,212 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $65,481 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on The College of New Jersey
Rutgers University - Newark landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges in New Jersey ranking. Located in Newark, New Jersey, the fairly large public school awarded 3,915 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $65,661 during the early years of their career..
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Seton Hall University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Jersey list. Located in South Orange, New Jersey, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 3,108 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Seton Hall go into careers with an average salary of $68,441 during the early years of their career.
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With a ranking of #8, Montclair State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Colleges in New Jersey list. Montclair State is a public institution located in Montclair, New Jersey. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5,506 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Montclair State make an average of $54,289 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Montclair State University Report
Thomas Edison State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Jersey list. Thomas Edison State University is a medium-sized public school located in Trenton, New Jersey that handed out 2,587 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from TESU is $54,816 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Thomas Edison State University
Rowan University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Jersey list. Rowan is a public institution located in Glassboro, New Jersey. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5,783 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Rowan is $55,410 during the early years of their career.
Full Rowan University Report
Rider University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in New Jersey ranking. Located in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 1,489 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Rider make an average of $56,442 per year during the early years of their career.
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Bergen Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges in New Jersey ranking, coming in at #12. Bergen Community College is located in Paramus, New Jersey and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,319 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Bergen Community College make an average of $42,951 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Bergen Community College Report
Monmouth University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Jersey list.West Long Branch, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,789 students in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Monmouth go into careers with an average salary of $59,513 during the early years of their career.
Full Monmouth University Report
Rutgers University - Camden did quite well in the 2023 Best Colleges in New Jersey ranking, coming in at #14.Camden, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,995 students in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers Camden make an average of $65,661 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Rutgers University - Camden
Ramapo College of New Jersey came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in New Jersey ranking. Located in Mahwah, New Jersey, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,533 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $60,019 during the early years of their career..
Full Ramapo College of New Jersey Report
With a ranking of #16, Stockton University did quite well on the 2023 Best Colleges in New Jersey list. This medium-sized public school is located in Galloway, New Jersey, and it awarded 2,667 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Stockton State make an average of $51,729 a year.
Full Stockton University Report
Kean University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Jersey list. Located in Union, New Jersey, the fairly large public school handed out 3,222 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Kean go into careers with an average salary of $50,888 during the early years of their career.
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Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus ranked #18 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Jersey list. Located in Teaneck, New Jersey, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 1,490 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from FDU make an average of $55,994 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus Report
Middlesex County College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Jersey list. Middlesex County College is located in Edison, New Jersey and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,873 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $41,240 during the early years of their career..
Full Middlesex County College Report
Centenary University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges in New Jersey ranking. Centenary University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Hackettstown, New Jersey that handed out 508 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Centenary go into careers with an average salary of $51,404 during the early years of their career.
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Drew University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges in New Jersey ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Madison, New Jersey, and it awarded 571 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Drew is $57,185 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Drew University
William Paterson University of New Jersey ranked #22 on this year’s Best Colleges in New Jersey list. William Paterson University of New Jersey is a medium-sized public school located in Wayne, New Jersey that handed out 2,216 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $51,506 during the early years of their career..
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Union County College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Colleges in New Jersey ranking.Cranford, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,760 students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Union County College is $38,163 during the early years of their career.
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Ocean County College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in New Jersey ranking. Located in Toms River, New Jersey, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,572 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $39,351 during the early years of their career..
Full Ocean County College Report
With a ranking of #25, Rowan College at Burlington County did quite well on the 2023 Best Colleges in New Jersey list. RCBC is located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,464 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from RCBC is $40,708 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Rowan College at Burlington County
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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