Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks New Jersey City University #270 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks New Jersey City University #305 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks New Jersey City University #314 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. New Jersey City University's composite ranking is anchored by mobility and access working in concert — serving a broad-access student population in Jersey City and moving them through degree completion toward durable career outcomes. The institution's strongest pillars reflect its public mission: opening doors widely and supporting students from a wide range of backgrounds toward meaningful economic progress.
Azimuth ranks New Jersey City University #270 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Jersey City, NJ, New Jersey City University enrolls roughly 3,681 undergraduates. Retention stands at 64.8% and the six-year graduation rate is 33.9%, figures that reflect the institution's broad-access mission and the real completion challenges that come with serving a predominantly working-adult and first-generation student population. What anchors the composite is mobility. New Jersey City University draws a student body that is heavily Pell-eligible — 52.5% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants — and 53.0% are first-generation college students, among the highest concentrations in the Azimuth coverage set. Azimuth ranks New Jersey City University #620 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median four-year earnings of $60,965, and earn about $13,122 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing New Jersey City University in the 90.3 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The dominant program concentration in Business shapes much of the institution's earnings profile, connecting graduates to regional employer demand in the New York metropolitan area. Access and affordability are the composite's relative strengths. New Jersey City University sits in the 78.8 percentile for access and the 80.2 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting a low-cost public-tuition structure and an admissions posture — 98.4% of applicants admitted — that keeps the door open to students who might not find a path at more selective institutions. Mobility sits in the 79.4 percentile, a figure shaped by the institution's ability to move a high-need student population toward durable labor-market outcomes in one of the country's most competitive regional economies.
New Jersey City University's published cost of attendance is $28,255. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $14,005, families in the lower-middle income band pay around $15,363, middle-income families pay about $17,587, families in the upper-middle income band pay approximately $21,239, and higher-income families pay around $21,596. Azimuth ranks New Jersey City University #283 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. As a public institution, New Jersey City University participates in federal need-based aid programs including Pell Grants and Direct Loans. The institution also offers state and institutional aid to help close the gap between sticker price and what families actually pay. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the university's aid office works to meet demonstrated financial need according to its aid policies. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $18,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $13,884; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $60,965, median federal debt of $18,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $209 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
New Jersey City University is a strong fit for students from low-income and first-generation backgrounds who want an affordable, urban public university in Jersey City, NJ with a clear path to solid post-graduation earnings — particularly those drawn to Business and related applied fields. Graduates earn about $13,122 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing New Jersey City University in the 90.3 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, and graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $60,965, placing New Jersey City University in the 46.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. New Jersey City University also sits in the 50.7 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the 4-year horizon — making it a particularly compelling option for Pell-eligible students, who make up 52.5% of undergraduates. The aid structure supports broad access: 53.0% of students are first-generation, and the institution's public-tuition model keeps costs within reach for families across income levels, with median student debt at graduation of $18,500. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program portfolio is concentrated in Business and adjacent professional fields, so students whose interests align there will find the strongest outcomes, and the institution's admission rate of 98.4% reflects broadly accessible enrollment rather than selective competition.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
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This is the New Jersey City University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
New Jersey City University's published cost of attendance is $28,255. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $14,005, families in the lower-middle income band pay around $15,363, middle-income families pay about $17,587, families in the upper-middle income band pay approximately $21,239, and higher-income families pay around $21,596.
Azimuth ranks New Jersey City University #283 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
As a public institution, New Jersey City University participates in federal need-based aid programs including Pell Grants and Direct Loans. The institution also offers state and institutional aid to help close the gap between sticker price and what families actually pay.
Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the university's aid office works to meet demonstrated financial need according to its aid policies. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $18,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $13,884; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $60,965, median federal debt of $18,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $209 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $60,965, placing New Jersey City University in the 46.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $13,122 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing New Jersey City University in the 90.3 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks New Jersey City University #620 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent lifetime returns relative to NJ's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $34,809, the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential in the young-adult age range.
The earnings pattern at New Jersey City University is anchored in Business, which forms the core of the institution's degree output and connects graduates to stable, in-demand careers in the Jersey City and broader New York metropolitan labor market. Nursing stands out as the program combining the largest graduate cohort with strong earnings, making it a key driver of the institution's overall return profile.
Among the top programs by scale, Nursing program graduates 222 students with median earnings of $102,386 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #58 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Psychology, General and Business Administration round out the higher-earning end of the program lineup, with graduates earning $46,575 and $59,925 respectively four years after enrollment.
Programs in Business represent 22% of degree output, followed by Arts at 6% and Social Sciences at 5%, a mix that reflects the institution's orientation toward applied, career-connected fields.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stephen F Austin State University Similar quality tier (#10721 ranked) | TX | 94% | $49,634 | #10721 | Compare |
Norfolk State University Similar quality tier (#10730 ranked) | VA | 88% | $44,666 | #10730 | Compare |
Nevada State University Similar quality tier (#10742 ranked) | NV | 87% | $53,166 | #10742 | Compare |
University Of Missouri-Kansas City Similar quality tier (#10707 ranked) | MO | 72% | $59,637 | #10707 | Compare |
Texas A&M University-Kingsville Similar quality tier (#10743 ranked) | TX | 91% | $51,450 | #10743 | Compare |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
222 graduates
Finance and Financial Management Services
50 graduates
Fire Protection
20 graduates
Accounting and Related Services
77 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
48 graduates
New Jersey City University's program mix is anchored in business and applied professional fields — a signature well suited to its location in the New York metropolitan area and its mission of serving a diverse, career-focused student body. Business is the dominant program family, accounting for 22% of graduates, followed by Arts at 6% and Social Sciences at 5%.
Across 26 programs serving roughly 1,203 students annually, the university concentrates its degree output in fields with direct workforce pathways rather than broad liberal-arts distribution. The highest aggregate return comes from Nursing, which combines meaningful cohort scale with competitive four-year earnings — making it the program that contributes most to New Jersey City University's overall financial outcomes.
Among the most popular programs, Nursing program graduates 222 students with median earnings of $102,386 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it #58 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Psychology, General and Business Administration round out the largest programs by cohort size, each feeding graduates into stable career pathways in the regional labor market.
The institution's highest-earning programs reflect its applied-professional orientation. Nursing leads on four-year earnings at $102,386, with Azimuth ranking it #58 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Finance follows with graduates earning $71,548, and Accounting rounds out the top three with median earnings of $66,244 four years after enrollment. These programs are primarily high-mobility, direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings reflect actual labor-market outcomes rather than a stepping stone to graduate study.
For context on how these fields align with national hiring trends, see the [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/).
