Best Community Colleges in New Jersey 2024
The best community colleges provide an effective springboard into higher education, offering students high-quality two-year degree programs in a wide range of disciplines. The top-rated community colleges in New Jersey offer a broad selection of associate’s degrees, affordable tuition rates, and strong partnerships with public four-year schools so that students can easily transfer their credits into accredited bachelor’s degree programs.
10 Best Community Colleges in New Jersey
- Camden County College
- Union College
- Brookdale Community College
- Hudson County Community College
- Essex County College
- Mercer County Community College
- Cumberland County College
- County College of Morris
- Bergen Community College
- Raritan Valley Community College
- Camden County College
- Raritan Valley Community College
- Brookdale Community College
- Atlantic Cape Community College
- Mercer County Community College
- County College of Morris
- Essex County College
- Salem Community College
- Bergen Community College
- Hudson County Community College
- Essex County College 24 to 1
- Rowan College of South Jersey 24 to 1
- Camden County College 23 to 1
- Cumberland County College 23 to 1
- Union College 22 to 1
- Hudson County Community College 22 to 1
- Bergen Community College 19 to 1
- Middlesex College 19 to 1
- Raritan Valley Community College 19 to 1
- Brookdale Community College 18 to 1
- Union College $10,562
- Essex County College $7,897
- Brookdale Community College $7,755
- Bergen Community College $7,368
- Passaic County Community College $7,260
- Hudson County Community College $7,152
- County College of Morris $7,008
- Salem Community College $6,930
- Raritan Valley Community College $6,096
- Atlantic Cape Community College $5,883
- Middlesex College
- Warren County Community College
- Sussex County Community College
- Passaic County Community College
- Rowan College of South Jersey
- Assumption College for Sisters
- Ocean County College
- Atlantic Cape Community College
- Salem Community College
- Rowan College at Burlington County
- Middlesex College
- Union College
- Warren County Community College
- Sussex County Community College
- Passaic County Community College
- Assumption College for Sisters
- Cumberland County College
- Rowan College of South Jersey
- Ocean County College
- Rowan College at Burlington County
- Assumption College for Sisters 5 to 1
- Atlantic Cape Community College 14 to 1
- Passaic County Community College 15 to 1
- Salem Community College 15 to 1
- Mercer County Community College 16 to 1
- Sussex County Community College 17 to 1
- County College of Morris 17 to 1
- Brookdale Community College 18 to 1
- Rowan College at Burlington County 18 to 1
- Warren County Community College 18 to 1
- Camden County College $2,856
- Rowan College at Burlington County $3,816
- Cumberland County College $4,260
- Rowan College of South Jersey $4,260
- Mercer County Community College $4,848
- Sussex County Community College $5,040
- Warren County Community College $5,100
- Ocean County College $5,320
- Middlesex College $5,472
- Assumption College for Sisters $5,773
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.
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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?
- 9 Research Universities
- 19 Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities
- 20 Graduate Schools
- 13 Public Colleges & Universities
- 15 Private Colleges & Universities
- 9 Christian Colleges & Universities
- 12 Small Colleges & Universities (fewer than 5,000 students)
- 20 Community Colleges
- 13 Affordable Colleges (below $20,000/year)
- 9 Online Colleges
New Jersey’s Best Overall
We’ve identified 20 community colleges in New Jersey. The following list shows the best community colleges and primarily associate degree granting colleges in New Jersey.
Best Community Colleges in New Jersey
- #3 Best Online Associate Degrees in New Jersey 2024 #15 Best Online Associate in Health Information Technology & Informatics #17 Best Online Associate in Psychology #25 Best Online Associate in Criminal Justice
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
22%
Student body
16K
Career Outlook for degree at Camden County College
Cost of Degree: $3,744Starting Salary: $37,000What is Camden County College known for?
Camden County College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #5 Best Online Associate Degrees in New Jersey 2024 #6 Best Online Associate in Health Science Degree Programs #8 Best Online Certificate in Liberal Arts and Humanities Ranked for Students #24 Best Online Associate in Sociology
Tuition + fees
$11K
Graduation
35%
Student body
11K
Career Outlook for degree at Union College
Cost of Degree: $10,562Starting Salary: $37,100What is Union College known for?
Union College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- #4 Best Online Associate Degrees in New Jersey 2024 #5 Best Online Associate in Political Science #5 Best Online Associate in English #11 Best Online Associate in Sociology
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$9K
Graduation
29%
Student body
14K
Career Outlook for degree at Brookdale Community College
Cost of Degree: $8,948Starting Salary: $39,700What is Brookdale Community College known for?
Brookdale Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Engineering
- Criminal Justice
- Social Work
- Communications
- Nursing
- Computer Science
- Medical
- Sociology
- Business
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
- #6 Best Online Associate Degrees in New Jersey 2024 #15 Best Online Associate in Health Science Degree Programs
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
17%
Student body
10K
Career Outlook for degree at Hudson County Community College
Cost of Degree: $8,390Starting Salary: $34,500What is Hudson County Community College known for?
Hudson County Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Graduation
17%
Student body
9K
Career Outlook for degree at Essex County College
Cost of Degree: $9,141Starting Salary: $34,300What is Essex County College known for?
Essex County College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
17%
Student body
9K
Career Outlook for degree at Mercer County Community College
Cost of Degree: $6,150Starting Salary: $38,500What is Mercer County Community College known for?
Mercer County Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
29%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at Cumberland County College
Cost of Degree: $5,640Starting Salary: $35,100What is Cumberland County College known for?
Cumberland County College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
33%
Student body
9K
Career Outlook for degree at County College of Morris
Cost of Degree: $10,260Starting Salary: $43,200What is County College of Morris known for?
County College of Morris’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Communications
- Engineering
- Medical
- Political Science
- Nursing
- Business
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
25%
Student body
15K
Career Outlook for degree at Bergen Community College
Cost of Degree: $8,438Starting Salary: $42,500What is Bergen Community College known for?
Bergen Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Graduation
32%
Student body
9K
Career Outlook for degree at Raritan Valley Community College
Cost of Degree: $7,296Starting Salary: $45,000What is Raritan Valley Community College known for?
Raritan Valley Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- #8 Best Online Associate Degrees in New Jersey 2024 #10 Best Online Associate in Political Science #11 Best Online Certificate in Liberal Arts and Humanities Ranked for Students #14 Best Online Associate in Health Science Degree Programs
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
29%
Student body
11K
Career Outlook for degree at Rowan College at Burlington County
Cost of Degree: $5,268Starting Salary: $39,700What is Rowan College at Burlington County known for?
Rowan College at Burlington County’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Graduation
40%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Salem Community College
Cost of Degree: $6,930Starting Salary: $34,500What is Salem Community College known for?
Salem Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Graduation
23%
Student body
6K
Career Outlook for degree at Atlantic Cape Community College
Cost of Degree: $6,840Starting Salary: $32,100What is Atlantic Cape Community College known for?
Atlantic Cape Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
40%
Student body
13K
Career Outlook for degree at Ocean County College
Cost of Degree: $5,320Starting Salary: $39,600What is Ocean County College known for?
Ocean County College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
100%
Student body
<1K
What is Assumption College for Sisters known for?
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
32%
Student body
8K
Career Outlook for degree at Rowan College of South Jersey
Cost of Degree: $5,640Starting Salary: $38,900What is Rowan College of South Jersey known for?
Rowan College of South Jersey’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Graduation
13%
Student body
7K
Career Outlook for degree at Passaic County Community College
Cost of Degree: $7,350Starting Salary: $32,200What is Passaic County Community College known for?
Passaic County Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- #12 Best Online Associate Degrees in New Jersey 2024 #18 Best Online Associate in English #22 Best Online Associate in Computer Science Degree Programs
Tuition + fees
$7K
Graduation
33%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at Sussex County Community College
Cost of Degree: $7,080Starting Salary: $37,700What is Sussex County Community College known for?
Sussex County Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
31%
Student body
3K
Career Outlook for degree at Warren County Community College
Cost of Degree: $5,490Starting Salary: $36,500What is Warren County Community College known for?
Warren County Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Graduation
27%
Student body
15K
Career Outlook for degree at Middlesex College
Cost of Degree: $6,876Starting Salary: $42,600What is Middlesex College known for?
Middlesex College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni