2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey
With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking.
We analyzed 44 colleges and universities across New Jersey to determine which were the best for veterans and active service members. To come up with this ranking, we look at more than 20 factors that are all objective measurements. These factors include percentage of costs covered by the GI Bill®, whether or not the school has a student's veteran organization, and the school's overall quality.
See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.
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Top Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey
See which schools came out on top of our ranking:
Our analysis found Rutgers University - New Brunswick to be the best school for veterans in New Jersey in this year’s ranking. Located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the large public school awarded 13,409 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Rutgers New Brunswick supports 50,411 students, and 442 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 256 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,136. To help with additional expenses, 4 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Rutgers New Brunswick also took the #4 spot in our Best Schools in New Jersey rankings.
Out of the 44 schools in New Jersey that were part of this year’s ranking, Rowan University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Glassboro, New Jersey, the fairly large public school handed out 4,993 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 19,678 students enrolled at Rowan, 383 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 192 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,018. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend New Jersey Institute of Technology. The school came in at #3 in New Jersey on this year’s best for vets ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Newark, New Jersey, and it awarded 2,783 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 11,652 students enrolled at NJIT, 142 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 99 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,685. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. In addition to its great veterans ranking, NJIT is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Schools in New Jersey list.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Kean University. It ranked #4 on our 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey list. Kean is a fairly large public school situated in Union, New Jersey. It awarded 3,380 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 244 of the 14,064 students enrolled at Kean were GI Bill® students, of which 134 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,953. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey list means Thomas Edison State University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. TESU is located in Trenton, New Jersey and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2,362 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Our most recent data shows that 1,243 of the 10,495 students enrolled at TESU were GI Bill® students, of which 1,016 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,853. To help with additional expenses, 534 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
In addition to its great veterans ranking, TESU is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Schools in New Jersey list.
Rutgers University - Newark did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking, coming in at #6. This fairly large public school is located in Newark, New Jersey, and it awarded 3,779 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 13,231 students enrolled at Rutgers Newark, 236 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 127 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,872. On top of their other funding sources, 6 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Rutgers Newark does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Rutgers Newark also is in the top 15% of our Best Schools in New Jersey ranking.
William Paterson University of New Jersey landed the #7 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking. William Paterson University is a medium-sized public school situated in Wayne, New Jersey. It awarded 2,359 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 9,635 students enrolled at William Paterson University, 132 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 85 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,348. William Paterson University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Rider University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey list. Rider is located in Lawrenceville, New Jersey and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,273 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Of the 4,636 students enrolled at Rider, 65 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 37 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $22,662. To help with additional expenses, 13 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Rider does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Montclair State University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking, coming in at #9. Montclair State University is a large public school located in Montclair, New Jersey that handed out 5,072 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 21,005 students enrolled at Montclair State, 332 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 177 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,803. Montclair State does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
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%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, Montclair State also did well on our Best Schools in New Jersey list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Stockton University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking. Stockton State is a medium-sized public school situated in Galloway, New Jersey. It awarded 2,357 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 286 of the 9,893 students enrolled at Stockton State were GI Bill® students, of which 195 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,706. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Monmouth University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking, coming in at #11. Monmouth is located in West Long Branch, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,782 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
According to our most recent data, Monmouth supports 5,674 students, and 117 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 67 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,087. During this same period, 24 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Monmouth does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #12, Rutgers University - Camden did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey list. Camden, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,834 students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Rutgers Camden supports 7,076 students, and 258 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 170 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,045. During this same period, 3 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.
With a ranking of #13, Ramapo College of New Jersey did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey list. Mahwah, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,576 students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Ramapo College supports 6,042 students, and 74 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 44 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,127. Ramapo College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 College of New Jersey did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking, coming in at #14. TCNJ is a medium-sized public school situated in Ewing, New Jersey. It awarded 1,975 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 7,783 students enrolled at TCNJ, 54 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 26 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,573. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. In addition to its best for vets ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, TCNJ is ranked #2 for overall quality in New Jersey.
Centenary University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking, coming in at #15. Hackettstown, New Jersey is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 548 students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 22 of the 1,629 students enrolled at Centenary were GI Bill® students, of which 16 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,363. During this same period, 4 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Georgian Court University landed the #16 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking. Georgian Court is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lakewood, New Jersey. It awarded 675 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 2,231 students enrolled at Georgian Court, 29 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 21 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,806. On top of their other funding sources, 6 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
New Jersey City University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking. NJCU is located in Jersey City, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,646 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
According to our most recent data, NJCU supports 7,550 students, and 156 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 100 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,982. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Berkeley College - Woodland Park came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking. Berkeley College - Woodland Park is located in Woodland Park, New Jersey and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,023 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Our most recent data shows that 67 of the 2,625 students enrolled at Berkeley College - Woodland Park were GI Bill® students, of which 59 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $16,384. To help with additional expenses, 21 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey list. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Teaneck, New Jersey, and it awarded 1,485 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, FDU supports 7,479 students, and 150 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 137 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,833. In addition to receiving other benefits, 24 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. FDU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus Report
Princeton University landed the #20 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking. Princeton is a private not-for-profit institution located in Princeton, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2,188 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 7,853 students enrolled at Princeton, 17 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 12 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $36,219. In addition to receiving other benefits, 14 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Princeton also made our Best Schools in New Jersey list, coming in at #1.
Felician University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking. Felician University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Lodi, New Jersey that handed out 489 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 42 of the 2,556 students enrolled at Felician were GI Bill® students, of which 35 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,178. To help with additional expenses, 7 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Raritan Valley Community College landed the #22 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking. Branchburg, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,100 students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 106 of the 7,080 students enrolled at RVCC were GI Bill® students, of which 70 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,561. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Ocean County College landed the #23 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking. Located in Toms River, New Jersey, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,673 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Of the 7,480 students enrolled at OCC, 208 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 153 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,317. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
College of Saint Elizabeth did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking, coming in at #24. College of Saint Elizabeth is a small private not-for-profit school located in Morristown, New Jersey that handed out 347 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 1,272 students enrolled at CSE, 15 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 10 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,340. CSE does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Middlesex County College did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in New Jersey ranking, coming in at #25. Middlesex County College is a fairly large public school situated in Edison, New Jersey. It awarded 1,586 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 179 of the 10,084 students enrolled at Middlesex County College were GI Bill® students, of which 129 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,837. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Middlesex County College also is in the top 15% of our Best Schools in New Jersey ranking.
Best Colleges for Veterans in the Middle Atlantic Region
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Best Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 25 schools only.
**GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- 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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