New Jersey boasts two of the nation's oldest universities. Princeton University and Rutgers University, founded in 1746 and 1766 respectively, stand out as two of the original colonial colleges. Each institution began teaching prior to the American Revolution.
According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), New Jersey is home to more than 70 postsecondary institutions, including 13 public four-year colleges and universities, 28 total nonprofit schools, and 19 two-year colleges. Along with Rutgers, the state's flagship university, Rowan University in Glassboro and the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark account for the state's three public research universities.
This guide explores both higher education in New Jersey and the state of New Jersey's economy. It reviews the best cheap online colleges in New Jersey and provides a better understanding of the job market that awaits you upon graduation.
Before we look at the best online colleges in New Jersey, let's start with the state of higher education and online education in New Jersey today.
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Overview of Online Colleges in New Jersey
Overview of Higher Education in New Jersey
With a population of just more than nine million, New Jersey ranks 32 in the nation. When it comes to higher education, the state ranks 19th in the country, boasting 73 degree-granting colleges and universities — which account for 1.5% of all such institutions in the U.S. Among these institutions, students can choose from 32 public, 28 nonprofit, and 12 for-profit schools. For the best online colleges in New Jersey, the state's public colleges and universities break down into 13, four-year schools and 19 New Jersey community colleges online and on campus.[dataviz-stats public="32" non-profit="28" for-profit="12"]NCES reports that enrollment at postsecondary institutions in New Jersey in 2016 remained steady year over year, though numbers fell 5% from 2011. According to the state, enrollment at junior colleges slipped 2.4% from 2015-2016 but rose 0.7% at senior institutions.While tuition continues to trend upward for the nation, cheap online colleges in New Jersey present students with an alternative to traditional learning and associated on-campus costs. A survey of tuition costs by College Board also illustrates the difference between the average tuition for in-state and out-of-state students attending a public four-year school in New Jersey. Note that out-of-state students pay a premium of more than 45%. As for financial assistance, New Jersey for the 2015-16 academic year provided $367,610,160 in need-based grants to 70,290 recipients. For non-need-based grants, the total amounted to $7,310,020 awarded to 2,700 students.
Higher Education in New Jersey
Featured Online Programs
The State of Online Higher Education in New Jersey
According to findings from an online learning survey conducted by Digital Learning Compass, enrollment in New Jersey online colleges and universities rose 9% from 2012-2015. The survey found that in 2015, about 21% of all New Jersey students enrolled in at least one online course — 7% of which took online courses exclusively. The survey also found that of the 30,350 students in New Jersey who attended courses exclusively online in 2015, nearly 60% lived in New Jersey. This rate stands 4.5% higher than the nation (55.1%). Further, New Jersey saw an increase of 0.6% of students who took a mix of on-campus and distance courses.[dataviz-nces online="7" undergrad="84.1" in-state="60"]
Best Online Colleges in New Jersey
See below for our rankings of the best online four-year programs in New Jersey. Our profiles examine how schools approach online education and then list their services for distance students and their popular, fully online degrees. After reviewing the best online schools in New Jersey, explore our state resources, such as a database of every college and university in New Jersey and our index of popular in-state scholarships.
Ranking Methodology
To determine the best online colleges in each state, we examined the factors most important to prospective students: Academic quality and reputation, online program strength, and cost and student aid. At the most basic level, we use the following formula to determine the best online colleges: Academic Quality + Online Offerings + Cost and Student Aid = Final Score. Of course, there's more to these calculations than meets the eye. Visit our methodology page to discover the data points that shape our formula and to learn more about the process we use to rank schools.
Most Affordable Online Colleges in New Jersey
See below for all of the online schools in New Jersey sorted by their tuition rates.
Affordability Methodology
Our list of the most affordable online colleges is based on in-state yearly tuition, or annual tuition rates if a school does not differentiate between in-state and out-of-state students. Tuition rates are based on a full course load each semester or term. All colleges on the list offer at least one bachelor's degree completion program available entirely online.The online schools in NJ with the lowest tuition are ranked highest, providing prospective students with a true list of the most affordable online colleges in their state.
College Graduate Outlook in New Jersey
Job Outlook for College Graduates in New Jersey
For New Jersey college graduates, the job outlook in the coming years looks positive. The state's unemployment rate continues to trend downward, posting at 4.2% for September 2018, a year-over-year decrease of 0.5%. While New Jersey's rate is 0.5% higher than the nation's at 3.7%, the state continues to keep a good pace. In September 2017, the U.S. unemployment rate hovered at 4.2%.Meanwhile, the mean annual wage for all occupations in New Jersey remains above the U.S. average. The state's mean annual wage of $56,970 rests 11% higher than the nation's. As for employment growth in New Jersey, the state added more than 58,000 new jobs from 2017-2018. The professional and business services industry accounted for the most growth during the year, with 16,500 new jobs added. Education and health services followed right behind, adding more than 16,100 jobs.