Best Colleges In New Jersey

Looking to study in New Jersey? Whether you are a local, or you are thinking of moving to the Garden State, New Jersey can be a great place to study.

New Jersey has it all – excellent colleges, beautiful nature, beaches, and close proximity to NYC.  Check out our list of best colleges in New Jersey below.

Colleges in New Jersey

There are 59 total colleges and universities in the small state of New Jersey. With private, public, small, and large universities, New Jersey has something for anyone.

New Jersey is also home to the famed Ivy League school, Princeton University.

Studying at Colleges in New Jersey

Studying in New Jersey can offer the best of all worlds — being close to major hubs such as New York City and Philadelphia mean plenty of opportunities. The state has a number of unique, fun, and vibrant college towns and communities that offer ideal learning environments.

Princeton University

Princeton University is a historic Ivy League school located in Princeton, New Jersey. It was founded over 250 years ago, in 1746.

Currently ranked #1 as the best college in the United States by U.S. News and several other ranking systems, Princeton University is highly prestigious and difficult to get into.

The school has a number of undergraduate degree programs, as well as highly regarded graduate programs in International Affairs and Engineering.

Tuition: $53,890

Programs Offered: Bachelor of Arts, which Princeton calls A.B. in subjects ranging from Slavic Languages and Literatures to Architecture to Geosciences; and Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E). Also offered are a large number of undergraduate certificate programs, as well as graduate programs.

Rutgers University New Brunswick

Rutgers University at New Brunswick is the original and the largest of all the Rutgers University campuses in New Jersey. It is one of the oldest institutions in the U.S., founded in 1766.

Rutgers U in New Brunswick is a large school, and students have the opportunity to join Division 1 sports, a large number of clubs and organizations, and the Greek community as well.

Tuition: $31,189 out-of-state, $15,407 in-state

Programs Offered: 29 schools and colleges in public policy, education, the arts, communication, and more; offers over 150 undergraduate programs and over 400 graduate programs across the several Rutgers campuses and online offerings.

Stevens Institute of Technology

Stevens Institute of Technology is a small, private university located in Hoboken, a trendy town right outside of Manhattan. Students live on campus for all four years and have the chance to join a variety of clubs and organizations. Entrepreneurship and innovation are both large parts of Stevens.

Tuition: $53,828

Programs Offered: Undergraduate, graduate, online, certificate, and PhD programs in arts and humanities, science and engineering, and business.

The College of New Jersey

The College of New Jersey started out as one of the first teachers’ colleges in the U.S. and has now grown into much more. With 7 schools and over 50 programs, this small school has something for everyone.

Tuition: $28,921 out-of-state, $16,942 in-state

Programs Offered: Undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, arts and humanities, social sciences, communication, exercise health, nursing and sciences.

Seton Hall University

Seton Hall is a private Catholic university located in a little New Jersey town just outside of New York City. While the enrollment numbers are considered small, students can still participate in Greek life, Division 1 sports, and a large number of clubs.

Tuition: $42,920

Programs Offered: Eight schools and over 60 majors across undergraduate, graduate, certificate, online, and international programs.

Rutgers University – Newark

Rutgers University – Newark, part of the Rutgers University system in New Jersey, is a medium-sized urban school. Most students opt for programs from the colleges of arts and sciences, and many students choose to live off campus and commute to class.

Tuition: $31,608 out-of-state, $14,826 in-state

Programs Offered: 29 schools and colleges in public policy, education, the arts, communication and more; offers over 150 undergraduate programs and over 400 graduate programs across the several Rutgers’ campuses and online offerings.

New Jersey Institute of Technology

New Jersey Institute of Technology, or NJIT, is a medium-sized urban school located in Newark, NJ. The college caters to students interested in technical fields such as in mathematics, engineering, and health sciences.

Tuition: $30,160 out-of-state, $14,448 in-state

Programs Offered: 50 undergraduate programs, 59 master’s degree programs, and 19 doctoral programs from colleges of engineering, architecture and design, science, liberal arts, management, and computing. Also offered are pre-college programs and online programs.

Ramapo College of New Jersey

Ramapo is a medium-sized liberal arts college in northern New Jersey. The college offers plenty of opportunities to join sports, clubs, Greek life, and more.

Tuition: $24,229 out-of-state, $14,678 in-state

Programs Offered: Undergraduate and graduate studies from schools of business, contemporary arts, humanities and global studies, social sciences and human services, and theoretical and applied sciences.

Drew University

Drew University is a small college located in a forested setting outside of NYC. Many students take advantage of this and participate in internships in and around the city. Drew University guarantees housing for undergraduates and offers a sizable collection of programs to choose from.

Tuition: $40,960

Programs Offered: Both graduate and undergraduate studies are offered, as well as theological school.

Montclair University

Montclair University is a public university that is medium-large in size and offers a large number of study programs across many fields. Students can participate in Greek life, career services, clubs, and more.

Tuition: $21,055 out-of-state, $13,073 in-state

Programs Offered: Undergraduate and graduate programs in education, business, humanities, social sciences, mathematics and sciences, music, nursing, conservation and communication. Online certificates and graduate programs are offered as well.

Studying Online

While New Jersey has a number of great schools, you may still want to consider studying online, from the comfort of your home. With benefits like flexibility, time saving, and the opportunity to study from any place at any time, studying online is an excellent choice for learners of all types.

With online study, lectures are typically recorded, meaning you can study at any hour that works for you. No need to align your work schedule with your school schedule.

Studying online has also been shown to be just as effective for learning as in-person study. Studying online may also mean more flexibility in your program with regards to how many classes you can take per term, and how long you choose to take to finish your degree.

University of the People offers tuition-free programs in Business, Computer Science, Education and Health Sciences. All programs are fully accredited and 100% online! So if you are looking for colleges in New Jersey, don’t forget to check out UoPeople as an option as well — you’ll save on both tuition and commute time.