Degree Dividend
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Best colleges in New Jersey, ranked by ROI

We rank all 78 New Jersey institutions we profile by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The state's median net price is $20,418/yr (above the $16,902 national median), and its graduates earn a median $46,396 ten years out (above the $43,549 national median). Princeton University leads, clearing its cost in 0.4 years. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$20,418
Median net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$46,396
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
6 yrs
Median payback
Our math, 2026
78
Colleges ranked
degreedividend.com
New Jersey colleges by payback (best first)
#CollegeNet price/yrEarnings 10yPayback
1Princeton University$6,128$110,0660.4 yrs
2Yeshiva Toras Chaim$5,356$62,5261.5 yrs
3New Jersey Institute of Technology$16,504$84,2761.8 yrs
4Stevens Institute of Technology$41,346$108,7722.7 yrs
5Rutgers University-Camden$18,745$74,4792.9 yrs
6Rutgers University-Newark$19,703$74,4793 yrs
7Chamberlain University-New Jersey$37,984$92,4053.4 yrs
8Rutgers University-New Brunswick$24,406$74,4793.7 yrs
9Ramapo College of New Jersey$18,173$67,5413.8 yrs
10Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Teterboro$24,800$73,9713.9 yrs
11The College of New Jersey$27,646$73,3234.4 yrs
12Montclair State University$15,566$61,4154.8 yrs
13Saint Peter's University$12,199$57,8155.2 yrs
14Kean University$12,447$57,2375.6 yrs
15Seton Hall University$31,446$70,1965.8 yrs
16Jersey College$52,558$66,0875.9 yrs
17Monmouth University$30,988$67,9916.3 yrs
18Drew University$24,280$63,6466.4 yrs
19Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus$15,404$57,2736.9 yrs
20Rider University$24,792$62,2087.2 yrs
21Rowan University$22,408$59,9887.7 yrs
22William Paterson University of New Jersey$18,745$57,7808 yrs
23Bloomfield College of Montclair State University$28,014$61,4158.6 yrs
24Stockton University$20,670$57,6028.9 yrs
25County College of Morris$8,895$50,2439.4 yrs
26Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus$22,829$57,27310.2 yrs
27New Jersey City University$16,053$52,74514.6 yrs
28Centenary University$20,503$53,72615.3 yrs
29Eastwick College-Ramsey$27,074$51,72516.1 yrs
30Georgian Court University$19,285$53,09616.3 yrs
31Felician University$40,045$57,60217.3 yrs
32Caldwell University$24,691$53,84318 yrs
33Saint Elizabeth University$23,125$53,03819.8 yrs
34Universal Technical Institute-Bloomfield$28,042$51,22239.2 yrs
35Raritan Valley Community College$6,778$48,145no payback
36Middlesex College$2,288$46,861no payback
37Bergen Community College$10,345$46,624no payback
38Ocean County Vocational-Technical School$10,828$47,122no payback
39Rowan College at Burlington County$5,344$44,745no payback
40Ocean County College$11,411$45,210no payback
41Pillar College$8,470$45,577no payback
42Sussex County Community College$7,859$44,664no payback
43Brookdale Community College$11,231$44,379no payback
44Warren County Community College$5,726$43,359no payback
45Mercer County Community College$5,279$43,264no payback
46Eastwick College-Nutley$17,206$42,827no payback
47Lincoln Technical Institute-Union$27,311$46,396no payback
48UCNJ Union College of Union County New Jersey$8,257$41,595no payback
49Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland Campus$10,562$41,751no payback
50Camden County College$5,996$41,212no payback
51Lincoln Technical Institute-Mahwah$28,968$46,396no payback
52Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester Campus$12,378$41,751no payback
53Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield$31,575$46,396no payback
54Pennco Tech-Blackwood$22,671$42,013no payback
55Salem Community College$10,816$38,020no payback
56Essex County College$4,436$37,230no payback
57Eastwick College-Hackensack$29,885$39,762no payback
58Passaic County Community College$7,761$36,972no payback
59Berkeley College-Woodland Park$27,100$40,251no payback
60Hudson County Community College$7,307$34,333no payback
61Atlantic Cape Community College$8,392$34,241no payback
62Fortis Institute-Lawrenceville$22,336$36,920no payback
63Fortis Institute-Wayne$24,009$36,920no payback
64Eastern International College-Jersey City$21,111$35,008no payback
65Prism Career Institute-West Atlantic City$29,653$32,473no payback
66Prism Career Institute-Cherry Hill$30,147$32,473no payback
67Rizzieri Aveda School for Beauty and Wellness$17,818$29,601no payback
68American Institute-Toms River$19,781$28,710no payback
69American Institute-Clifton$20,371$28,710no payback
70American Institute-Somerset$20,464$28,710no payback
71American Institute-Cherry Hill$21,458$28,710no payback
72Lincoln Technical Institute-Iselin$37,819$31,914no payback
73Lincoln Technical Institute-Moorestown$39,141$31,914no payback
74Lincoln Technical Institute-Paramus$41,121$31,914no payback
75National Career Institute$25,261$26,415no payback
76Parisian Beauty School$32,141$27,767no payback
77Total Image Beauty Academy$12,830$18,720no payback
78Robert Fiance Beauty Schools-West New York$21,953$18,123no payback

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · ranking and payback are our math. Payback uses institution-wide earnings; a specific major can rank very differently.

Colleges in New Jersey: frequently asked questions

Which college has the best ROI in New Jersey?
Princeton University. It charges $6,128/yr after aid and its graduates earn a median $110,066 ten years out, clearing the cost in about 0.4 years — the fastest payback of the 78 New Jersey colleges we track.
How much does college cost in New Jersey?
The median net price across New Jersey colleges is $20,418/yr after grants and scholarships — above the $16,902 national median. That is the actual price the typical aided student pays, not the published sticker.
What do New Jersey college graduates earn?
A median $46,396 ten years after entry (Scorecard), above the $43,549 national median. Earnings vary widely by school and major — see each college's profile for its own figure.
How many New Jersey colleges pay for themselves?
34 of the 78 New Jersey colleges we track clear their cost on institution-wide earnings above the high-school baseline. The rest need a high-ROI major to pay off — the school average alone does not.