6 NJ Colleges Among Top 100 In Nation: US News Rankings

NEW JERSEY — One storied university in the Garden State was ranked the best in the country for yet another year, according to new rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

In total, six New Jersey colleges were ranked among the top 100 in the country, according to the 2025 Best Colleges report.

The rankings evaluated 1,500 colleges and universities using more than a dozen measures of academic quality, the digital media company said in a news release. This year in its rankings, U.S. News prioritized social mobility — that is, a school's record in enrolling and graduating students from all backgrounds with manageable debt — and post-graduate success, including earnings.

Here are the top rankings for New Jersey schools:

• 1. Princeton University
• 41. Rutgers University - New Brunswick
• 76. Stevens Institute of Technology
• 80. Rutgers University - Newark
• 84. New Jersey Institute of Technology
• 98. Rutgers University - Camden

All six of these universities were also in the top 100 of last year's list, and you can compare the rankings here.

For regional universities, the College of New Jersey in Ewing was also ranked No. 1 in the North region. And, Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken came in as the best-rated STEM school in the state.

Included in the 2025 report are specialized rankings such as the best value schools, most innovative colleges, top performers on social mobility and historically Black colleges and universities, as well as universities with the greatest commitment to undergraduate teaching.

Other specialty rankings include programs that enhance student experiences, including first-year experiences, service learning, studying abroad and undergraduate research and creative projects.

Princeton also topped the "best value schools" list, and came in at No. 6 for offering opportunities for undergraduate research and creative projects.

Rutgers University in Newark, Saint Peter's University in Jersey City, Berkeley College in Woodland Park, Saint Elizabeth University in Morristown, and Kean University in Union were all listed as top universities for economic diversity among students, with a high percentage of undergraduates receiving federal Pell Grants.

Below are the overall top colleges, and you can view all rankings here.

The top national universities are:

1. Princeton University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3. Harvard University in Massachusetts
4. Stanford University in California
5. Yale University in Connecticut

The top national liberal arts colleges are:

1. Williams College in Massachusetts
2. Amherst College in Massachusetts
3. Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania
4. United States Naval Academy in Maryland
5. Bowdoin College in Maine and Pomona College in California (tie)