Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Ramapo College of New Jersey #433 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $67,266, placing Ramapo College of New Jersey in the 71.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Ramapo College of New Jersey sits in the 33.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting stronger-than-expected graduate outcomes relative to comparable institutions. Ramapo College of New Jersey earn about $5,865 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the college among the stronger-performing institutions in the Azimuth coverage set for earnings beyond expectations. Median 4-year earnings of $67,266 and a 52.2 percentile return on investment ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions round out a financial-outcomes profile that rewards students who prioritize long-run value at a public New Jersey institution.
Azimuth ranks Ramapo College of New Jersey #433 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public master's university in Mahwah, NJ, Ramapo College of New Jersey enrolls roughly 4,898 undergraduates. Retention stands at 83.6% and the six-year graduation rate is 69.8%, reflecting solid degree-completion performance for a regional public institution. The composite is anchored in return on investment. Azimuth ranks Ramapo College of New Jersey #709 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median $67,266 four years after enrollment, and earn about $5,865 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Ramapo College of New Jersey in the 33.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution's dominant concentration in Business — with Business representing 22% of degree output — channels a large share of graduates into fields with consistent labor-market demand. Access and mobility sit lower in the composite. Ramapo College of New Jersey admits about 70.6% of applicants, with 28.2% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and 31.3% identifying as first-generation students — figures that reflect a moderately selective admissions posture rather than broad open access. Affordability sits in the 63.6 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, and mobility in the 82.4 percentile, both shaped by the institution's regional footprint and the income profile of its student body. For families weighing long-term value, the return picture is the clearest strength Ramapo College of New Jersey brings to the comparison.
Ramapo College of New Jersey's published cost of attendance is $29,483. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $9,008, middle-income families pay around $18,074, and higher-income families pay approximately $26,008. Azimuth ranks Ramapo College of New Jersey #519 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. Ramapo College participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside state and institutional aid. The college's affordability position reflects both its public-tuition structure and the breadth of its financial aid reach. For families evaluating the true cost of attendance, the gap between sticker price and net price matters substantially — net price and sticker price can differ significantly, and understanding that distinction helps frame the actual out-of-pocket commitment. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $21,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $27,655; 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 $67,266, median federal debt of $21,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $237 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Ramapo College of New Jersey is a strong fit for students in NJ and the broader Northeast who want a public liberal arts college with a business-oriented program mix and a track record of delivering solid post-graduation earnings relative to cost. It works especially well for students who are cost-conscious, first-generation, or Pell-eligible, and who want a smaller public institution with accessible admissions and meaningful upward mobility. Graduates earn about $5,865 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Ramapo College of New Jersey in the 33.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — a meaningful signal that students here tend to outperform what their backgrounds and field choices would predict at comparable institutions. Graduates earn median $67,266 four years after enrollment, placing Ramapo College of New Jersey in the 71.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. 28.2% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 31.3% are first-generation students, reflecting the college's genuine accessibility. Ramapo College of New Jersey sits in the 77.8 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 — suggesting that students from lower-income households convert their degrees into real earnings gains. Fit depends on two realistic filters: Ramapo College of New Jersey is a smaller, teaching-focused public college rather than a research university, and its program portfolio centers on Business and related applied fields. Students whose interests align with business, management, and adjacent disciplines — and who want a public institution in the New York metro region without the cost of higher-priced private alternatives — will find the value proposition here among the stronger options in the Azimuth coverage set.
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
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This is the Ramapo College Of New Jersey 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.
Ramapo College of New Jersey's published cost of attendance is $29,483. Financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $9,008, middle-income families pay around $18,074, and higher-income families pay approximately $26,008.
Azimuth ranks Ramapo College of New Jersey #519 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.
Ramapo College participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside state and institutional aid. The college's affordability position reflects both its public-tuition structure and the breadth of its financial aid reach.
For families evaluating the true cost of attendance, the gap between sticker price and net price matters substantially — [net price and sticker price can differ significantly](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), and understanding that distinction helps frame the actual out-of-pocket commitment. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $21,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $27,655; 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 $67,266, median federal debt of $21,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $237 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 $67,266, placing Ramapo College of New Jersey in the 71.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $5,865 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Ramapo College of New Jersey in the 33.1 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Ramapo College of New Jersey #709 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That median earnings figure runs above the $56,249 median at comparable institutions, a gap that reflects Ramapo College of New Jersey's position in the competitive New Jersey labor market and its concentration in business and professional fields.
The program lineup at Ramapo College of New Jersey anchors the return story in applied, career-oriented disciplines. Nursing stands out as the highest aggregate-return major, combining meaningful cohort scale with strong four-year earnings — a combination that drives a large share of the institution's overall return profile.
Among the most-enrolled programs, Nursing program graduates 121 students and delivers median four-year earnings of $103,534, with Azimuth ranking the program #63 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/). Communication and Media Studies follows with 98 graduates earning $56,894, and Azimuth ranks that program #134 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The Business concentration — representing 22% of degrees under the Business family — is the clearest structural driver of Ramapo College of New Jersey's above-average earnings outcomes, channeling a large share of graduates into fields with consistent early-career hiring demand across the broader New York metropolitan region.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Similar quality tier in Northeast (#15287 ranked) | PA | 98% | $63,435 | #15287 | Compare |
Louisiana Tech University Similar quality tier (#15275 ranked) | LA | 86% | $52,279 | #15275 | Compare |
Eastern Kentucky University Similar quality tier (#15274 ranked) | KY | 78% | $45,795 | #15274 | Compare |
Indiana University-South Bend Similar quality tier (#15270 ranked) | IN | 84% | $44,947 | #15270 | Compare |
Southeastern Louisiana University Similar quality tier (#15265 ranked) | LA | 99% | $46,482 | #15265 | Compare |
Computer and Information Sciences, General
24 graduates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
121 graduates
Accounting and Related Services
54 graduates
Information Science/Studies
25 graduates
Economics
10 graduates
Ramapo College of New Jersey's program mix is anchored in Business, with secondary concentrations in Social Sciences and Education — a portfolio shaped by the college's identity as a focused liberal arts and professional-studies institution in northern New Jersey. Nursing is the largest program by graduate count, followed by Communication and Media Studies, Biology, General, and Psychology, General, together accounting for a substantial share of the college's annual degree output.
The program mix reflects Business at 22% of graduates, Social Sciences at 10%, and Education at 5%, signaling a balance between applied professional fields and foundational disciplines. The highest-earning programs at Ramapo College of New Jersey cluster in business and technology-adjacent fields.
Nursing leads on median earnings four years after enrollment at $103,534, and Azimuth ranks the program #63 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions — a strong result for a program of 121 graduates. Accounting follows with median earnings of $83,004, with Azimuth ranking it #119 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Biology, General and Social Work round out the top quartile, with graduates earning $68,904 and $58,371 respectively four years after enrollment, per the [Azimuth program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). The broader program portfolio reflects a mix of high-mobility direct-to-workforce pathways and foundational disciplines where graduate or professional school is a common next step.
Communication and Media Studies and Biology, General are among the more popular programs and lead to stable regional employment, while fields such as Psychology, General and Digital Marketing serve students who may continue to graduate study before entering the workforce. Across 33 programs serving roughly 1,147 students annually, Ramapo College of New Jersey offers a focused but varied set of pathways well-suited to the northern New Jersey and greater New York metro labor market.
The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with regional and national hiring trends.
