New Jersey · Getting in
Most selective colleges in New Jersey
The short answer
The most selective four-year colleges in New Jersey are Princeton (4.4% admitted), Stevens Institute of Technology (51% admitted) and Rutgers (59% admitted), by acceptance rate.
Selective here means a low acceptance rate: the share of applicants the college admitted. A low rate says how many people a college turns away, not how good a fit it is for you. Each row also shows the average price after grants.
The list (14 of 28)
Four-year colleges in New Jersey with 500 or more undergraduates, lowest acceptance rate first. The list shows 14 of the 28 colleges with an acceptance rate on file. Rates come from IPEDS (fall 2024) for 11 colleges and each college's own Common Data Set (fall 2025) for 3 colleges.
- Princeton University 4.4% admitted Princeton, NJ · Average price after grants: $7,815 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
- Stevens Institute of Technology 51% admitted Hoboken, NJ · Average price after grants: $37,396 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
- Rutgers University–New Brunswick 59% admitted New Brunswick, NJ · Average price after grants: $24,897 a year in-state, about $45,722 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
- The College of New Jersey 62% admitted Ewing, NJ · Average price after grants: $26,752 a year in-state, about $33,116 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- New Jersey Institute of Technology 65% admitted Newark, NJ · Average price after grants: $18,783 a year in-state, about $37,533 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Rutgers University-Camden 66% admitted Camden, NJ · Average price after grants: $15,732 a year in-state, about $36,557 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Drew University 68% admitted Madison, NJ · Average price after grants: $25,614 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Bloomfield College of Montclair State University 70% admitted Bloomfield, NJ · Average price after grants: $13,249 a year in-state, about $23,965 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Ramapo College of New Jersey 71% admitted Mahwah, NJ · Average price after grants: $16,382 a year in-state, about $27,860 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Saint Elizabeth University 71% admitted Morristown, NJ · Average price after grants: $19,010 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Caldwell University 71% admitted Caldwell, NJ · Average price after grants: $15,180 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Rutgers University-Newark 71% admitted Newark, NJ · Average price after grants: $16,013 a year in-state, about $36,838 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Seton Hall University 73% admitted South Orange, NJ · Average price after grants: $31,552 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Kean University 76% admitted Union, NJ · Average price after grants: $14,465 a year in-state, about $23,182 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
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What are the most selective colleges in New Jersey?
The most selective four-year colleges in New Jersey are Princeton (4.4% admitted), Stevens Institute of Technology (51% admitted) and Rutgers (59% admitted), by acceptance rate.
How many colleges on this list admit fewer than half of applicants?
1 of the 14 colleges listed admitted fewer than half of their applicants.
How recent are these acceptance rates?
Each row shows its year. Rates come from IPEDS, the federal college survey, for students who applied for fall 2024, or from the college's own Common Data Set for fall 2025 where that is newer.
Numbers change each year when colleges and the Department of Education publish new data. Confirm costs and admission rules with the college before you apply.