Best Private Colleges in New Jersey 2024

Badge for BEST IN NEW JERSEY PRIVATE COLLEGES

Published: Mar 25, 2021
Updated: Oct 16, 2023

Private colleges, unlike large public institutions, can be a great option for students wanting a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Here is our list of the best private colleges in New Jersey.

Princeton University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Seton Hall University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Drew University
Monmouth University
Saint Peter's University
Rider University
Berkeley College
Georgian Court University

Centenary University 97%
Monmouth University 91%
Saint Peter's University 89%
Felician University 89%
Rider University 84%
Fairleigh Dickinson University 84%
Bloomfield College 78%
Georgian Court University 76%
Seton Hall University 75%
Drew University 73%

Seton Hall University 14 to 1
Berkeley College 14 to 1
Caldwell University 13 to 1
Felician University 13 to 1
Fairleigh Dickinson University 13 to 1
Bloomfield College 13 to 1
Centenary University 13 to 1
Monmouth University 12 to 1
Drew University 12 to 1
Saint Elizabeth University 11 to 1

Stevens Institute of Technology $58,624
Princeton University $57,410
Seton Hall University $48,960
Drew University $44,174
Monmouth University $43,216
Saint Peter's University $39,890
Caldwell University $38,050
Rider University $37,200
Felician University $36,410
Centenary University $35,934

Princeton University $57,410
Stevens Institute of Technology $39,408
Seton Hall University $33,528
Monmouth University $32,352
Drew University $24,318
Fairleigh Dickinson University $21,278
Felician University $19,890
Berkeley College $19,716
Rider University $18,234
Centenary University $18,180

Saint Elizabeth University
Centenary University
Caldwell University
Bloomfield College
Felician University
Georgian Court University
Saint Peter's University
Berkeley College
Rider University
Monmouth University

Saint Elizabeth University
Centenary University
Felician University
Caldwell University
Bloomfield College
Georgian Court University
Berkeley College
Rider University
Saint Peter's University
Monmouth University

Princeton University 6%
Stevens Institute of Technology 46%
Caldwell University 66%
Saint Elizabeth University 72%
Drew University 73%
Seton Hall University 75%
Georgian Court University 76%
Bloomfield College 78%
Fairleigh Dickinson University 84%
Rider University 84%

Princeton University 5 to 1
Rider University 10 to 1
Georgian Court University 10 to 1
Saint Elizabeth University 11 to 1
Stevens Institute of Technology 11 to 1
Saint Peter's University 11 to 1
Monmouth University 12 to 1
Drew University 12 to 1
Caldwell University 13 to 1
Felician University 13 to 1

Berkeley College $28,600
Bloomfield College $30,680
Fairleigh Dickinson University $34,404
Saint Elizabeth University $34,930
Georgian Court University $35,516
Centenary University $35,934
Felician University $36,410
Rider University $37,200
Caldwell University $38,050
Saint Peter's University $39,890

Bloomfield College $11,760
Saint Peter's University $14,670
Caldwell University $15,966
Georgian Court University $16,956
Saint Elizabeth University $18,018
Centenary University $18,180
Rider University $18,234
Berkeley College $19,716
Felician University $19,890
Fairleigh Dickinson University $21,278

Table of Contents

Colleges and Universities in New Jersey

Nearly half of the colleges and universities in this state are private, and tuition rates range from $6,000 to $52,000. With a graduation rate of 97% and a student population of just over 7,000, Princeton University is the state’s most esteemed institution. Narrowing in on the sciences and arts, this Ivy League school offers unique areas of study, including robotics, intelligent systems, and public life. The remaining 31 public colleges and universities range in tuition from $4,000 to $17,000.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

The state’s largest and top-ranked public research institution is Rutgers University. With campuses in New Brunswick, Newark, and Camden as well as smaller locations across the state, Rutgers awards degrees in physics, economics, criminal justice, and psychology. New Jersey also has 11 religiously affiliated colleges and universities, including the oldest diocesan university in the United States, Seton Hall University. This Roman Catholic university has a tuition rate of $42,000 and a student population of over 8,000.

New Jersey, known for its sandy shores and busy expressways, also has more diners than any other state in the U.S., as well as the world’s longest boardwalk, located in Atlantic City. Many influential people, including Buzz Aldrin, Frank Sinatra, and Thomas Edison, have called The Garden State home. Visitors can even peek at some of Edison’s early light bulbs at the Menlo Park Museum. And with 50 higher learning institutions to choose from, students can find a school that suits their career path and budget.

Learn more about earning your degree from one of New Jersey’s highly regarded colleges and universities.

What are New Jersey’s Colleges & Universities?

New Jersey’s Best Overall

What is the difference between public and private colleges?

Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.

Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.

How do we determine New Jersey's best private colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

This list is composed entirely of private colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 15 private universities in New Jersey. To be included in the list below of the best private universities in New Jersey, schools must be fully accredited, private, non-profit institution, and must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.