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CollegeRanker
Public Jersey City, NJ · Urban · Mid-Atlantic · 93% data
A+ Social Mobility B Diversity B Earnings
Graduation Rate
36% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$52,745 B
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$16,053 C
Close to the national average
Acceptance Rate
98% F
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +29% vs avg
Graduation -36% vs avg
Net Price +-6% vs avg
Mobility Top 2%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 19.3× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $19.3 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Best Criminal Justice Colleges in New Jersey.

19.3× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $19.3 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,178,260.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Earnings 29% above the national college median.

  3. Graduation of 36% — 36% below the national average.

  4. Social mobility rate of 5.32% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  5. Every $1 invested returns $19.3 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why New Jersey City University Matters

New Jersey City University is a public university in Jersey City, NJ and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public University
Carnegie Class
Master's University
Enrollment
3,681
Setting
Urban
Designations
HSI
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Criminal Justice, Computer Science & IT, Psychology

Why students choose New Jersey City University

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Engine of upward mobility
A strong record of moving students up the income ladder
Strength in Business & Marketing
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C+
Top 40% overall
B
Earnings
$52,745 median
C+
Value
3.3× net price
C
Affordability
$16,053/yr net
D
Graduation
36% graduate
A+
Social Mobility
5.3% climb Q1→Q5
F
Selectivity
98% admit rate
B
Diversity
0.68 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an acceptance rate of 98%, New Jersey City University is an accessible option for students looking to pursue degrees in fields like Business & Marketing, Criminal Justice, Health Professions, Psychology, and Biology & Biomedical. This school is well-suited for those who want a supportive environment where they can explore diverse academic interests and find their path without the pressure of a competitive admissions process.

After graduation, students can expect to earn around $52,745 within ten years, which gives a good idea of the potential return on investment from their education. While the graduation rate sits at 36%, many students who do complete their degrees find opportunities to advance in their careers. Affordability is a key consideration here; over half of the students receive Pell Grants, which can help ease financial burdens and make higher education more attainable for those from lower-income backgrounds.

The net price for attending New Jersey City University is approximately $16,053 after aid, which can be manageable compared to other institutions. With a median debt of $18,500, students typically graduate with a debt load that is relatively low, especially given their earning potential. This school tends to attract students who thrive in a community-oriented environment and are motivated to make the most of their educational experience, regardless of where they start.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective New Jersey City University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into New Jersey City University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Jersey City, New Jersey, New Jersey City University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 98%. The graduation rate is roughly 36%.

Acceptance Rate
98%
Retention Rate
65%
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$12,966
Student–Faculty Ratio
15:1
Diversity Index
0.68
First-Gen Students
53%
Applicants
6,372
Admitted
5,744

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend New Jersey City University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at New Jersey City University is $14,460, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $16,053. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,005 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $18,500 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$14,460
Out-of-State
$14,460
Avg Net Price
$16,053
Median Debt
$18,500
Pell Grant Rate
52%
Federal Loan Rate
28%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$14,005
Family Income $30K–$48K
$15,363
Family Income $48K–$75K
$17,587
Family Income $110K+
$21,596

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at New Jersey City University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is New Jersey City University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of New Jersey City University earn a median of $52,745, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$45,918
8 Years
$48,714
10 Years
$52,745
Debt-to-Earnings
0.35x
Earning > $25K
63%

Earnings Trajectory

$45,918 6yr $48,714 8yr $52,745 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (82)
13%
100% (82)
13%
100% (82)
13%
100% (82)
13%

How New Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation36%Earnings 10yr$53KNet Price$16KRetention65%Median Debt$19KPell Grant Rate52%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$14K$0-30K$15K$30-48K$18K$48-75K$22K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%20.4%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%26.1%MOBILITY5.32%

College ROI Calculator

Is New Jersey City University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, New Jersey City University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $16,053/year ($64,212 total). Graduates earn $52,745 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,242,472 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,178,260 (19.3× your investment). The median debt is $18,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 36% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$64,212
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,242,472
Net Return
$1,178,260
ROI Multiple
19.3×
Cost Per Year
$16,053
Median Debt
$18,500
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
36%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does New Jersey City University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

New Jersey City University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 5.32%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 20.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 26.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $51,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
5.32%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
26.1%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
20.4%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$70,106
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is New Jersey City University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at New Jersey City University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.53, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.53
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.02
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
4.3%
Support Ratio
0.95
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$3,712,398
Investment Income
$40,776

Top Programs

The fields New Jersey City University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into New Jersey City University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Jersey City, New Jersey, New Jersey City University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 98%. The graduation rate is roughly 36%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend New Jersey City University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at New Jersey City University is $14,460, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $16,053. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,005 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $18,500 in federal student loans.

Is New Jersey City University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of New Jersey City University earn a median of $52,745, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does New Jersey City University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

New Jersey City University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 5.32%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 20.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 26.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $51,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is New Jersey City University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at New Jersey City University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.53, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to New Jersey City University.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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