Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find, well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Research Universities in New Jersey 2023

By James Barham

Published: Mar 24, 2021
Updated: Jan 24, 2023

Interested in attending a STEM school in New Jersey? Our ranking of top research universities for bachelor’s degrees displays schools that will best prepare you for STEM careers.

10 Best Research Universities in New Jersey 2022

Princeton University
Seton Hall University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Rutgers University–Camden
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Rowan University
Montclair State University
Rutgers University–New Brunswick
Rutgers University–Newark

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

How do we determine New Jersey's best research 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.

A research university is a great option for students interested in obtaining STEM degrees. Research universities invest heavily in research, which consequently provides meaningful and extensive opportunities for its students and faculty to participate in research. We’ve identified 9 research universities in New Jersey. To be included in our ranking, schools must be a fully accredited universities and must must offer doctoral degrees across the range of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).

Best Research Universities in New Jersey 2022

#1
Princeton University
Princeton , NJ
#5 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #5 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #5 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #6 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
4%
Graduation
98%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1510/33
What is Princeton University known for?

Princeton University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Mathematics
Physics
Philosophy
Political Science
History
Computer Science
Literature
Economics
Religious Studies
Earth Sciences

Most Influential Alumni

Richard Feynman
John Rawls
Marvin Minsky
Alonzo Church
Edward Witten
Allen Newell
Robert Mueller
John Bardeen
John McCarthy
Robert Nozick
Gary Becker
Stephen Cole Kleene
#2
Seton Hall University
South Orange , NJ
#21 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2023 #1 Best Christian Colleges in New Jersey 2023 #2 Best Private Colleges in New Jersey 2023 #2 Best Colleges in New Jersey 2023
Other Rankings
- #2 Best Grad Schools in New Jersey 2023
- #3 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023
Tuition + fees
$47K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
72%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1230/27
What is Seton Hall University known for?

Seton Hall University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Law
Criminal Justice
Nursing
Political Science
Religious Studies
Medical
History
Business
Philosophy
Education

Most Influential Alumni

Artie Lange
Chris Christie
Kreskin
Dolores Cross
John J. Mooney
Bob Ley
Dick Vitale
James M. Murray
James T. McHugh
Blenda Wilson
Donna Fiducia
John L. McNulty
#3
Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken , NJ
#2 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023 #3 Best Private Colleges in New Jersey 2023 #3 Best Colleges in New Jersey 2023 #3 Best Grad Schools in New Jersey 2023
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
53%
Graduation
87%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1400/32
What is Stevens Institute of Technology known for?

Stevens Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Engineering
Physics
Computer Science
Mathematics
Business
Literature
Chemistry
Sociology
Biology
Criminal Justice

Most Influential Alumni

L. Sprague de Camp
Alexander Calder
Frederick Winslow Taylor
Frederick Reines
Henry Gantt
Igor Ansoff
David J. Farber
Richard Easterlin
Charles Petzold
Gerald Goertzel
Zehev Tadmor
Richard Reeves
#4
Rutgers University–Camden
Camden , NJ
#1 Most Affordable Colleges in New Jersey 2023 #1 Best Public Colleges New Jersey 2023 #4 Best Grad Schools in New Jersey 2023 #5 Best Colleges in New Jersey 2023
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
71%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1075/20
What is Rutgers University–Camden known for?

Rutgers University–Camden’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Law
Nursing
Medical
Social Work
Philosophy
Sociology
Criminal Justice
Political Science
Mathematics
Biology

Most Influential Alumni

Ekaterina Sedia
David R. Mayer
Donora Hillard
Barry Zuckerman
William A. Barrett
Dana Redd
Fang Mitchell
Harold W. Hannold
Patricia Egan Jones
Maria Collett
John J. Horn
William J. Anderson
Rutgers University–Camden’s Online Degrees
BA in Business Administration

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Nursing: RN to BSN

Required Credits: 121
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
#5
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark , NJ
#2 Most Affordable Colleges in New Jersey 2023 #2 Best Public Colleges New Jersey 2023 #5 Best Grad Schools in New Jersey 2023 #6 Best Colleges in New Jersey 2023
Tuition + fees
$18K
Acceptance
69%
Graduation
74%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1295/28
What is New Jersey Institute of Technology known for?

New Jersey Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Engineering
Physics
Computer Science
Mathematics
Chemistry
Business
Education
Criminal Justice
Medical
Communications

Most Influential Alumni

A. Michael Noll
Pierre Ramond
Victor J. Stenger
Moshe Kam
John J. Mooney
Grace Hartigan
Gerard J. Foschini
Ellen M. Pawlikowski
Syed Soharwardy
Yuriy Tarnawsky
Adejoke Tugbiyele
Funsho Williams
New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Online Degrees
BS in Business

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
#6
Rowan University
Glassboro , NJ
#3 Most Affordable Colleges in New Jersey 2023 #3 Best Public Colleges New Jersey 2023 #6 Best Grad Schools in New Jersey 2023 #7 Best Colleges in New Jersey 2023
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
69%
Student body
16K
Median SAT/ACT
1145/24
What is Rowan University known for?

Rowan University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Medical
Education
Nursing
Engineering
Chemistry
Physics
Biology
Social Work
Literature
Communications

Most Influential Alumni

Patti Smith
Joseph Renzulli
Evan Edinger
Soraida Martinez
Harvey Kesselman
Trymaine Lee
Kenneth Lacovara
Dorte Mandrup
Frank Stefanko
Janet Hamill
Marvin Creamer
John Sadak
#7
Montclair State University
Montclair , NJ
#4 Most Affordable Colleges in New Jersey 2023 #4 Best Public Colleges New Jersey 2023 #7 Best Grad Schools in New Jersey 2023 #8 Best Colleges in New Jersey 2023
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
91%
Graduation
67%
Student body
19K
What is Montclair State University known for?

Montclair State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Sociology
Philosophy
Earth Sciences
Literature
Communications
Social Work
Nursing
Mathematics
Psychology
Education

Most Influential Alumni

Nel Noddings
Warren Farrell
Allen Ginsberg
Robert M. Price
Bruce Willis
Howie Hubler
Christopher Phillips
Alan Weiss
Edna Buchanan
Ma Anand Sheela
Janet G. Woititz
Paula Danziger
#8
Rutgers University–New Brunswick
New Brunswick , NJ
#9 Most Affordable Colleges in New Jersey 2023 #9 Best Public Colleges New Jersey 2023
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
68%
Graduation
84%
Student body
48K
Median SAT/ACT
1295/28
What is Rutgers University–New Brunswick known for?

Rutgers University–New Brunswick’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Mathematics
Economics
Social Work
Philosophy
Literature
Political Science
Biology
Anthropology
Criminal Justice
Sociology

Most Influential Alumni

Bill Stepien
Henry Levin
Eddie Jordan
Jim Valvano
Abraham Clearfield
C Jeffrey Brinker
Dahntay Jones
Roy Hinson
Mark Sokolich
Kenneth G. Miller
Luis Flores
Bob Wenzel
#9
Rutgers University–Newark
Newark , NJ
Tuition + fees
$15K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
65%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
1090/20
What is Rutgers University–Newark known for?

Rutgers University–Newark’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Criminal Justice
Anthropology
Social Work
Chemistry
Mathematics
Medical
Physics
Literature
Psychology
Political Science

Most Influential Alumni

Thomas A Einhorn
Pranela Rameshwar
Marina Freitag
John G Benjafield
Zoltan Nadasdy
Branka Spehar
Joseph P Bressler
Jeffrey Yepez
Dimitrios Ntarlagiannis
Masako Isokawa
Andrew Parsekian
Robert A. Saunders

Find the Best Research Universities in New Jersey for Your Area of Interest

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).
Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.
Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.
The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

Check out our directory of research universities throughout the U.S. for a look at the top research institutions in every state.

Best Research Universities in New Jersey 2023

10 Best Research Universities in New Jersey 2022

Colleges and Universities in New Jersey

What are New Jersey’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Research Universities in New Jersey 2022

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Rutgers University–Camden’s Online Degrees

Most Influential Alumni

New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Online Degrees

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Find the Best Research Universities in New Jersey for Your Area of Interest