Best Grad Schools in New Jersey 2024

Badge for BEST IN NEW JERSEY GRADUATE SCHOOLS

Published: Mar 25, 2021
Updated: Oct 26, 2023

Graduate school may be a critical step in your higher education, whether you are interested in expanding your knowledge, learning a specialization, or earning advanced credentials required by your profession. The best graduate schools in New Jersey offer advanced degrees, such as master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as opportunities for independent research, mentorships, and professional networking.

Princeton University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Seton Hall University
Rutgers University–Camden
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Drew University
Montclair State University
Rowan University
Monmouth University
Saint Peter's University

Centenary University 97%
Montclair State University 91%
Monmouth University 91%
New Jersey City University 90%
Saint Peter's University 89%
Felician University 89%
Stockton University 86%
Rider University 84%
Kean University 83%
Rowan University 77%

Montclair State University 17 to 1
Kean University 16 to 1
Rowan University 16 to 1
Stockton University 16 to 1
New Jersey Institute of Technology 15 to 1
Rutgers University–New Brunswick 15 to 1
New Jersey City University 15 to 1
Seton Hall University 14 to 1
Felician University 13 to 1
Caldwell University 13 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
New Jersey Institute of Technology $21,932
Felician University $19,890
Rutgers University–New Brunswick $18,696
Rutgers University–Camden $18,696
Rutgers University–Newark $18,696

Saint Elizabeth University
Centenary University
Caldwell University
Felician University
Rutgers University–Newark
Saint Peter's University
New Jersey City University
Rutgers University–New Brunswick
Stockton University
Kean University

Saint Elizabeth University
Centenary University
Felician University
Caldwell University
New Jersey City University
Stockton University
Rutgers University–New Brunswick
Rutgers University–Newark
Kean University
Rider University

Princeton University 6%
Stevens Institute of Technology 46%
Caldwell University 66%
New Jersey Institute of Technology 66%
Rutgers University–New Brunswick 66%
Saint Elizabeth University 72%
Drew University 73%
Rutgers University–Newark 74%
Seton Hall University 75%
Rutgers University–Camden 77%

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

Rowan University $10,715
Kean University $10,758
Stockton University $12,740
Montclair State University $12,755
Rutgers University–New Brunswick $12,900
Rutgers University–Camden $12,900
Rutgers University–Newark $12,900
New Jersey City University $13,384
New Jersey Institute of Technology $15,198
Saint Elizabeth University $34,930

Rowan University $13,695
Montclair State University $13,740
New Jersey City University $14,346
Stockton University $14,346
Saint Peter's University $14,670
Caldwell University $15,966
Kean University $16,225
Saint Elizabeth University $18,018
Centenary University $18,180
Rider University $18,234

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

How do we determine New Jersey's best grad schools?

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.

There are 20 doctorate-granting graduate schools in New Jersey. Our ranking of the best graduate schools in the New Jersey is composed of both private and public schools. To be included, schools must be fully accredited non-profit institutions, and must offer doctoral degrees and a broad array of graduate degrees.

Best Grad Schools in New Jersey 2023

Build your own college ranking

New Jersey’s Best Grad School for Your Area of Interest

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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.

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Best Grad Schools in New Jersey 2024

10 Best Grad Schools in New Jersey

Colleges and Universities in New Jersey

What are New Jersey’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Grad Schools in New Jersey 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Princeton University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Seton Hall University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Stevens Institute of Technology

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Rutgers University–Camden

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at New Jersey Institute of Technology

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Rowan University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Montclair State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Drew University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Monmouth University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Rider University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Kean University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Stockton University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Rutgers University–New Brunswick

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at New Jersey City University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Saint Peter's University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Rutgers University–Newark

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Felician University

Career Outlook for degree at Caldwell University

Career Outlook for degree at Centenary University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Saint Elizabeth University

New Jersey’s Best Grad School for Your Area of Interest

Resources for Prospective Grad Students