Rutgers University-New Brunswick
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1281
About Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a public research university in New Brunswick, New Jersey, enrolling about 37,751 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 58.15% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $74,479 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick charges about 3.3× the national public median tuition ($17,929).
- Versus the New Jersey median, sticker tuition is 38% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 83.63%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $74,479.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Rutgers University-New Brunswick is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 663% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Rutgers University-New Brunswick awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 186 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick | $17,929 | $24,406 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| New Jersey (state median) | $12,950 | $11,024 | 84 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Rutgers University-New Brunswick really?
Key findings
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick charges about 3.3× the national public median tuition ($17,929).
- Versus the New Jersey median, sticker tuition is 38% above.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $17,929
Finding Rutgers University-New Brunswick charges about 3.3× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $17,929. That is about 3.3× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the New Jersey median ($12,950), sticker tuition is 38% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 51% above.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Rutgers University-New Brunswick versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Rutgers University-New Brunswick versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Rutgers University-New Brunswick is $24,406.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $24,406 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $13,382 above the New Jersey median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $9,435 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Rutgers University-New Brunswick, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Rutgers University-New Brunswick—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$17,929
Out-of-state tuition
$37,441
Avg. net price
$24,406
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $16,343 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $16,210 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $18,282 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $25,106 |
| $110,001+ | $35,016 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $71,716. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Rutgers University-New Brunswick is known for
Top program completions
- Computer and Information Sciences, General994
- Social Work775
- Psychology, General657
- Finance, General490
- Public Health, General468
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Selective — about half of applicants (or fewer) are admitted.
- Yield: 27% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1410
- Midpoint ACT: 30
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Rutgers University-New Brunswick a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
Campus
Location
New Brunswick, NJ
City / state
- ZIP
- 08901-1281
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 63% above the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Mid East
- Carnegie
- Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Size
Enrollment
37,751
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 42,531
- Graduate
- 14,284
- Full-time share
- 97%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$21,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 27.90%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Rutgers University-New Brunswick in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $13,499 | $27,523 | $19,770 |
| 2014 | $13,813 | $28,591 | $20,079 |
| 2015 | $14,131 | $29,521 | $19,924 |
| 2016 | $14,372 | $30,023 | $20,166 |
| 2017 | $14,638 | $30,579 | $20,379 |
| 2018 | $14,974 | $31,282 | $20,623 |
| 2019 | $15,407 | $32,189 | $21,654 |
| 2020 | $15,003 | $31,785 | $23,035 |
| 2021 | $15,804 | $33,005 | $15,365 |
| 2022 | $16,263 | $33,963 | $22,675 |
| 2023 | $17,239 | $36,001 | $23,519 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution is selective, accepting about half of all applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1410 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 30 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.80
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Rutgers University-New Brunswick reported total enrollment of about 37,751 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 50% male and 50% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Asian (33.6%), White (29.9%), and Hispanic or Latino (15.9%). About 27.90% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 34.6% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
96.9% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Rutgers University-New Brunswick in 2024 is 37,751 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 42,531 students. Graduate enrollment is about 14,284 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
93.0%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
68.98% 100% Completion Time
83.63% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 68.98% of students graduating from Rutgers University-New Brunswick completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Computer and Information Sciences, General: 82% male / 18% female
- Social Work: 12% male / 88% female
- Psychology, General: 21% male / 79% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick graduates earn a median of $74,479 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $74,479. Median federal loan debt: $21,500. Average net price used in cost models: $24,406.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Rutgers University-New Brunswick graduates report median earnings of $74,479 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (186 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Rutgers University-New Brunswick graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Rutgers University-New Brunswick—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$1.56B
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- New Jersey median 100× the median ($15.5M)
- Mid East median 37× the median ($42.6M)
- U.S. median 59× the median ($26.4M)
- New Jersey median 6.1× the median ($5,117)
- Mid East median 1.9× the median ($16,427)
- U.S. median 2.6× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 52.5%
- New Jersey median 26.0 pp below median (78.6%)
- Mid East median 4.3 pp below median (56.9%)
- U.S. median 5.4 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $14,593
- New Jersey median 1.9× the median ($7,582)
- Mid East median 1.8× the median ($8,119)
- U.S. median 1.9× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $20,585
- New Jersey median 2.8× the median ($7,319)
- Mid East median 2.2× the median ($9,164)
- U.S. median 2.8× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick at a glance
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a public institution in New Brunswick, NJ, classified as Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralSocial WorkPsychology, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- Asian33.6%White or Caucasian29.9%Hispanic or Latino15.9%
Schools near Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Other campuses in New Brunswick, NJ when available, plus nearby institutions in New Jersey.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade B) within New Jersey, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Rutgers University-New Brunswick located?
Rutgers University-New Brunswick is located in New Brunswick, NJ.
What is Rutgers University-New Brunswick's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Rutgers University-New Brunswick is 58.1% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 43,347 applicants and 28,326 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Rutgers University-New Brunswick's tuition?
Rutgers University-New Brunswick tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $17,929 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $24,406 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Rutgers University-New Brunswick cost?
Reported tuition is $17,929 and average net price is $24,406 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $15,714 annually.
What explains Rutgers University-New Brunswick's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($24,406), completion (83.6% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($74,479). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Rutgers University-New Brunswick?
Rutgers University-New Brunswick reports undergraduate enrollment of about 42,531 students, Asian (33.6%), White (29.9%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Rutgers University-New Brunswick?
About 34.6% of students at Rutgers University-New Brunswick are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Rutgers University-New Brunswick?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Rutgers University-New Brunswick reports midpoint SAT about 1410 and midpoint ACT about 30.
What do graduates of Rutgers University-New Brunswick earn?
Median earnings are $61,263 six years after entry and $74,479 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Rutgers University-New Brunswick?
The 150%-time completion rate is 83.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Rutgers University-New Brunswick students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $21,500.
Is Rutgers University-New Brunswick public or private?
Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a public institution located in New Brunswick, NJ.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- New Jersey college profile
- New Jersey college costs
- New Jersey colleges by ROI
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick vs New Jersey Institute of Technology vs Montclair State University
- New Brunswick, New Jersey city profile
- Mid East regional profile
- Town college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in New Jersey
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.