1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. New Jersey City University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # New Jersey City University NJ · Medium public institution · Overall rank #270 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/new-jersey-city-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/new-jersey-city-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/new-jersey-city-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/new-jersey-city-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/new-jersey-city-university/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) New Jersey City University #270 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for New Jersey City University is a public university in Jersey City, New Jersey, where the degree mix is led by Business and Health Professions. Affordability is well above average. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The model attributes more of that to a remainder it cannot explain than to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market. Pell recipients finish at a rate above the entering cohort as a whole, and mobility is well above average. The lowest income band averages a net price well below the published cost, and the lowest income band pays less than the highest. The admission rate is above the median for comparable schools. Most graduates are estimated to go into work rather than further study, and the largest program, Nursing, is also the best-paid one. ## New Jersey City University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 98.4% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 33.9% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $60,965 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $17,587 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $18,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $13,884 ## New Jersey City University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) New Jersey City University is a public university in Jersey City, New Jersey, enrolling 3,681 undergraduates. The university admits 98.4% of applicants, a rate above the 85.9% median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Of students who start full time, 64.8% return for a second year, against a peer median of 73.7%. The [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 33.9%, below the peer median of 49.1%. An estimated 46.0% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, so the six-year rate describes first-time full-time students only. The four pillars sit close together, with affordability the strongest at the 80th percentile and return the weakest at the 59th percentile. Access and mobility are both near the 79th percentile, so no single pillar sits far from the others. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) New Jersey City University #270 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. The four pillars sit close together, with affordability the strongest at the 80th percentile and return the weakest at the 59th percentile. Access and mobility are both in the 79th percentile. No pillar is far out of step with the others. 52.5% of undergraduates at New Jersey City University receive Pell Grants. That share is a measure of financial access, not a first-generation or low-income census. Azimuth ranks New Jersey City University #308 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 47.2%, which is 13.3 percentage points above the rate for the entering cohort as a whole. Azimuth ranks the university #309 for mobility. Graduates earn about $12,461 more than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) New Jersey City University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #270 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 79 **Access & reach** National percentile: 79 **[Affordability](/school/new-jersey-city-university/cost/)** National percentile: 80 **[Return on investment](/school/new-jersey-city-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 59 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Homeland Security**#3** 2. Fire Protection**#5** 3. English Language and Literature, General**#41** This school’s three highest-ranked programs nationally. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ. [Explore major rankings](/school/new-jersey-city-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / New Jersey City University briefing ## [New Jersey City University cost & financial aid](/school/new-jersey-city-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) New Jersey City University lists a published cost of attendance of $28,255, an average across living arrangements. In-state tuition and fees are $14,460, and room and board are $16,844. For aid recipients, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/)—what they pay after grants and scholarships—is $16,053, covering about 43% of the sticker price. That average net price is $1,985 above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth ranks the university #280 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The affordability pillar sits at the 80th percentile. Financial aid reduces the published cost by $12,202 on average. The published cost of attendance at New Jersey City University is $28,255 (an average across living arrangements). Azimuth ranks the university #280 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), what aid recipients pay after grants and scholarships, is $14,005 for families earning under $30,000, $17,587 for those earning $48,001 to $75,000, and $21,596 for those earning over $110,000. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $7,591. Aid covers about 43% of the published cost for the average aid recipient. The average net price across all aid recipients is $16,053, which is $1,985 above the $14,068 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $18,500 in federal student loans. That is $2,729 below the $21,229 median at comparable institutions. About 61.5% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Parents who borrow through the federal [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a separate median of $13,884. The median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $210 a month if repaid over ten years. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$17,587** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at New Jersey City University Borrowers who complete a degree at New Jersey City University leave with a median of $18,500 in federal student loans. That figure is $2,729 below the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). 61.5% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. The debt load is not uniform. Parents who borrow through [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) hold a separate median of $13,884. At New Jersey City University, the estimated monthly payment is $210 a month if repaid over ten years. This is derived from a median federal debt of $18,500 that is $2,729 below the peer median, $21,229. Graduates earn about $12,461 more than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 88th percentile. The median four years after completion is $60,965 for federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled. That amount lands $3,664 above the median for comparable institutions (same type and size), which is $57,301. That places the earnings level at the 54th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, span from $44,048 on the downside to $94,017 on the upside. Earnings land above both the peer median and the model's expectation, while federal debt sits below the peer median, so the two measures point the same way. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $13,884. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $210 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $18,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $13,884 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $210/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $176/mo Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s. Payment assumptions Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates. [Explore your own numbers in Financial GPS](/financial-gps/?tool=student&school=new-jersey-city-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/new-jersey-city-university/cost/) 02 / New Jersey City University briefing ## [New Jersey City University career outcomes & earnings](/school/new-jersey-city-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) The earnings scenarios show a wide spread: from $44,048 on the downside to $94,017 on the upside. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. At the higher end, Nursing graduates earn $102,386 four years after completion, from 222 degrees awarded. Finance follows at $71,548, and Fire Protection at $69,444. The largest program, Nursing, also sits near the top of the earnings range. Graduates of New Jersey City University earn about $12,461 more than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 88th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, a stronger showing than the raw earnings figure alone would suggest. The median earnings four years after completion is $60,965, drawn from an earnings cohort of 1,959 federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. That is $3,664 above the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Earnings scenarios, estimated from the university's program mix, range from a downside of $44,048 to an upside of $94,017, with a typical scenario of $60,965. An estimated 28.7% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. Graduates of New Jersey City University who are federally aided, working and not enrolled earn a median of $60,965 four years after completion, at the 54th percentile. That median is $3,664 above the $57,301 median recorded for comparable institutions (same type and size). [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) New Jersey City University #607 for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $12,461 more than the model expects for similar students. That outcome falls at the 88th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $4,472. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain adds $7,989 overall. Within the measured factors, the STEM component itself adds $1,911. The bachelor's program mix covers health professions, business, security and protective services, and also psychology and biology. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, run from $44,048 on the low end to $94,017 on the high end. An estimated 28.7% of graduates continue to graduate study, an estimate derived from the program mix. For New Jersey City University, the lowest income band has the smallest average net price. The published cost of attendance is $28,255 (an average across living arrangements), and aid covers about 43% of that for the average aid recipient. After grants and scholarships, the lowest income band averages $14,005, while the highest band averages $21,596—a spread of $7,591 between the two ends. Borrowers who finish leave with a median of $18,500 in federal student loans, which is $2,729 below the $21,229 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $210 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $13,884 in Parent PLUS loans. Graduates earn about $12,461 more than the model expects for similar students. A low net price for the lowest income band and above-expected earnings point the same way. The spread in net price means families at the higher end of the income scale pay considerably more. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$4,472 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** +$7,989 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$12,461 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. [Read the full outcomes brief](/school/new-jersey-city-university/outcomes/) 03 / New Jersey City University briefing ## [New Jersey City University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/new-jersey-city-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) New Jersey City University admits 98.4% of applicants. The median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is 85.9%, so the university's rate is above that benchmark. Admissions **Admission rate** 98.4% [Read the full admissions brief](/school/new-jersey-city-university/admissions/) 04 / New Jersey City University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at New Jersey City University?](/school/new-jersey-city-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) Four years after completion, earnings vary sharply by field at New Jersey City University. Nursing is both the largest program and the highest-earning, with 222 degrees awarded and a median of $102,386. Its median is 1.15x times the national median for the field. Other large programs sit at more moderate levels. Psychology awards 138 degrees and reports median earnings of $46,575, placing it #243 nationally in its field. Business Administration and Management follows with 101 degrees awarded and a median of $59,925. Criminal Justice is the university's best-ranked program, at #93 nationally and #7 in New Jersey. It awards 94 degrees and its median earnings of $55,293 match the national benchmark for the field. Business accounts for 21.4% of bachelor's degrees awarded, with Health Professions close behind at 20.4%. Nursing is the largest single program, at 222 degrees a year, and its graduates earn a median of $102,386 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) two programs nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions. Homeland Security ranks #3 in its field, with 61 degrees awarded and median earnings of $63,137. Fire Protection ranks #5 in its field, awarding 20 degrees and showing median earnings of $69,444. The highest-earning program is Nursing, at $102,386. Finance follows at $71,548, from 50 degrees a year. The earnings spread between the largest program and the next tier is wide, and a student's field matters a great deal here. Business and Health Professions are the two largest program families at New Jersey City University, accounting for 21.4% and 20.4% of bachelor's degrees awarded. Security & Protective Services is third at 14.5%. The largest single programs are Nursing at 222 degrees awarded and Psychology at 138. Nursing is also the highest-earning program, with graduates reporting a median of $102,386 four years after completion. Finance is the next best-paid, at $71,548, from 50 degrees awarded a year. The highest-ranked program is Homeland Security, which [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) #1 in New Jersey within its field. It awards 61 degrees a year, and graduates earn a median of $63,137 four years after completion. Psychology, the second-largest program, ranks #243 nationally and #11 in New Jersey within its field. Strength is concentrated in a few programs: the largest program is also the best-paid, and the highest-ranked program sits in the third-largest family. Across all fields, 21.6% of degrees awarded are in STEM. The university has 18 programs with an Azimuth national rank and 21 with published four-year earnings data. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 222 degrees awarded** $102,386 **Psychology, General 138 degrees awarded** $46,575 **Business Administration, Management and Operations 101 degrees awarded** $59,925 **Criminal Justice and Corrections 94 degrees awarded** $55,293 **Biology, General 79 degrees awarded** $60,104 **Accounting and Related Services 77 degrees awarded** $66,244 Fields selected by reported completions. Counts describe credentials awarded, not unique students or the earnings sample. Bars show median four-year earnings. [Read the full majors brief](/school/new-jersey-city-university/majors/) 05 / New Jersey City University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to New Jersey City University?](/school/new-jersey-city-university/similar/)[\[15\]](#hub-data-note-peers) Azimuth groups alternatives by admissions, location, cost and earnings, then orders candidates within each group. Peer earnings use the matched four-year cohort. [How matching works](/school/new-jersey-city-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with New Jersey City University. Admissions peerLa Salle University96.6% admitted+ Comparison with New Jersey City University | Measure | New Jersey City University | La Salle University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,965 | $70,254+$9,289 vs New Jersey City University | | Average annual net price | $16,053 | $19,409+$3,356 vs New Jersey City University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 98.4% | 96.6% | Nearby alternativeStockton UniversityNearby option · NJ+ Comparison with New Jersey City University | Measure | New Jersey City University | Stockton University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,965 | $58,872\-$2,093 vs New Jersey City University | | Average annual net price | $16,053 | $20,670+$4,617 vs New Jersey City University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 98.4% | 88.9% | [Explore Stockton University →](/school/stockton-university/) Higher-earnings alternativeFairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus$68,049 earnings+ Comparison with New Jersey City University | Measure | New Jersey City University | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,965 | $68,049+$7,084 vs New Jersey City University | | Average annual net price | $16,053 | $15,404\-$649 vs New Jersey City University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 98.4% | 90.7% | [Explore Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus →](/school/fairleigh-dickinson-university-metropolitan-campus/) Lower-cost alternativeCUNY Brooklyn College$3,103 average net price+ Comparison with New Jersey City University | Measure | New Jersey City University | CUNY Brooklyn College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,965 | $62,833+$1,868 vs New Jersey City University | | Average annual net price | $16,053 | $3,103\-$12,950 vs New Jersey City University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 98.4% | 58.4% | [Explore CUNY Brooklyn College →](/school/cuny-brooklyn-college/) Similar profileWestern Connecticut State UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with New Jersey City University | Measure | New Jersey City University | Western Connecticut State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $60,965 | $60,346\-$619 vs New Jersey City University | | Average annual net price | $16,053 | $17,604+$1,551 vs New Jersey City University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 98.4% | 87.0% | [Explore Western Connecticut State University →](/school/western-connecticut-state-university/) Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/new-jersey-city-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)