by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the graduate school options in New Jersey, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. We have ranked **14** programs by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual analyzed 14 graduate schools across over 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Here is the early-career salary range across the top-ranked graduate schools:
Explore the leading graduate schools below:
Princeton University tops our 2026 ranking of the best graduate schools in New Jersey. Set in Princeton, NJ, Princeton University is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 98%. In-state tuition and fees run about $62,688. Princeton University graduates report median early-career earnings of $67,532. The median student debt is $10,888.
Rutgers University New Brunswick came in at #2 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in New Jersey. Based in New Brunswick, NJ, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a public institution. Rutgers University New Brunswick graduates 84% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $17,929, while out-of-state students pay about $37,441. Early-career graduates earn a median of $58,402. Typical student debt is $25,120.
The strong outcomes at Stevens Institute Of Technology earned it the #3 place in New Jersey. This private not-for-profit school is set in Hoboken, NJ. Stevens Institute Of Technology graduates 87% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $63,462. Graduates go on to earn a median of $87,055 early in their careers. The median student debt is $26,767.
Rutgers University Newark came in at #4 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in New Jersey. This public school is set in Newark, NJ. The six-year graduation rate is 64%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,250, compared with $36,762 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $54,296 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $25,065.
You'll be in good company at New Jersey Institute Of Technology, which ranked #5 this year. New Jersey Institute Of Technology is a public school based in Newark, NJ. New Jersey Institute Of Technology posts a six-year graduation rate of 73%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $19,974, while out-of-state students pay about $37,664. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $71,549. Students borrow a median of $24,755 to complete a degree here.
Seton Hall University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Located in South Orange, NJ, Seton Hall University is a private not-for-profit institution. About 70% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $53,170. Seton Hall University graduates report median early-career earnings of $63,871. The median student debt is $23,422.
Rowan University placed #7 among the best graduate schools in New Jersey. This public school is set in Glassboro, NJ. Roughly 67% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,574, compared with $26,932 for out-of-state students. Median early-career earnings reach $52,031. Rowan University students take on a median of $24,488 in debt.
The Richard Stockton College Of New Jersey came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Set in Galloway, NJ, The Richard Stockton College Of New Jersey is a public institution. The Richard Stockton College Of New Jersey posts a six-year graduation rate of 68%. In-state tuition and fees run about $16,266, with out-of-state students paying around $24,524. The Richard Stockton College Of New Jersey graduates report median early-career earnings of $43,490. The median student debt is $24,990.
Rider University landed the #9 spot in New Jersey this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Lawrenceville, NJ. Rider University posts a six-year graduation rate of 61%. In-state tuition and fees average $41,120. Median early-career earnings reach $48,601. Typical student debt is $26,241.
Rutgers University Camden placed #10 among the best graduate schools in New Jersey. This public school is set in Camden, NJ. The six-year graduation rate is 67%. In-state tuition and fees run about $17,764, while out-of-state students pay about $37,276. Rutgers University Camden graduates report median early-career earnings of $54,504. Students borrow a median of $24,577 to complete a degree here.
Drew University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. This private not-for-profit school is set in Madison, NJ. About 70% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $47,100. Drew University graduates report median early-career earnings of $34,305. Typical student debt is $26,449.
Montclair State University placed #12 among the best graduate schools in New Jersey. Set in Montclair, NJ, Montclair State University is a public institution. Montclair State University posts a six-year graduation rate of 65%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,912, with out-of-state students paying around $26,022. Montclair State University graduates report median early-career earnings of $44,369. Typical student debt is $25,286.
Princeton Theological Seminary ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. This private not-for-profit school is set in Princeton, NJ. Princeton Theological Seminary graduates report median early-career earnings of $46,821.
College Of Saint Elizabeth landed the #14 spot in New Jersey this year. Set in Morristown, NJ, College Of Saint Elizabeth is a private not-for-profit institution. College Of Saint Elizabeth posts a six-year graduation rate of 51%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $36,740. Early-career graduates earn a median of $58,318. College Of Saint Elizabeth students take on a median of $25,496 in debt.
Saint Peters College landed the #15 spot in New Jersey this year. Saint Peters College is a private not-for-profit school based in Jersey City, NJ. Saint Peters College posts a six-year graduation rate of 58%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,552. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $50,944. Graduates carry a median of $22,969 in student loans.
Fairleigh Dickinson University Metropolitan Campus did well this year, earning the #16 position. Fairleigh Dickinson University Metropolitan Campus is a private not-for-profit school based in Teaneck, NJ. The six-year graduation rate is 54%. In-state tuition and fees run about $37,010. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $54,505. The median student debt is $24,770.
Kean University landed the #17 spot in New Jersey this year. Located in Union, NJ, Kean University is a public institution. About 47% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,299, with out-of-state students paying around $22,446. Graduates go on to earn a median of $48,705 early in their careers. The median student debt is $26,703.
Caldwell College did well this year, earning the #18 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Caldwell, NJ. Caldwell College posts a six-year graduation rate of 58%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,848. Median early-career earnings reach $48,400. The median student debt is $26,188.
New Jersey City University did well this year, earning the #19 position. New Jersey City University is a public school based in Jersey City, NJ. The six-year graduation rate is 34%. Students from in state pay about $14,460 in tuition and fees. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $47,083. Typical student debt is $22,107.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked graduate schools only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Graduate schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.
