The 14 Best Colleges In NJ, According To New 2027 Ranking

Princeton University is the best college in New Jersey, according to Niche’s newly released 2027 college rankings.

The Pittsburgh-based college search and review site evaluated more than 4,000 colleges and universities nationwide, using federal data along with student and alumni reviews.

Princeton University, located in Princeton, NJ, ranked No. 5 nationally on Niche’s 2027 Best Colleges in America list and No. 1 in New Jersey.

Rutgers University — New Brunswick ranked second on the list, followed by:

• 3) Stevens Institute of Technology
• 4) New Jersey Institute of Technology
• 5) Rutgers University — Camden
• 6) Kean University
• 7) The College of New Jersey
• 8) Rutgers University — Newark
• 9) Seton Hall University
• 10) Rowan University
• 11) Montclair State University
• 12) William Paterson University of New Jersey
• 13) Drew University
• 14) Stockton University

New Jersey colleges also showed up near the top of several specialty rankings.

In Niche's list of the best colleges in America for engineering, Princeton University came in at No. 6 and also came in at No. 4 for Niche's list of the best colleges in America for history.

When it comes to America's hardest schools to get into, Princeton ranked at No. 8 for 2027.

Niche publishes rankings for categories including value, academics, professors, student life, campuses, majors, public universities and liberal arts colleges, as well as rankings by state.

The Top 10 Nationally

Nationally, Massachusetts Institute of Technology took the No. 1 spot on the 2027 Best Colleges list. The full top 10 includes:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2. Stanford University, Stanford, California
3. Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
4. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
5. Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
6. California Institute of Technology, California
7. Vanderbilt University, Tennessee
8. Dartmouth College, New Hampshire
9. Columbia University, New York
10. Rice University, Texas

What Goes Into The Rankings

Niche’s rankings combine federal data with reviews from students and alumni, weighing factors including academics, value, professors, campus life, diversity and safety.

For 2027, Niche also added a measure that compares colleges with similar institutions based on their missions and outcomes.

The site also introduced pilot grades for student wellness and “future readiness,” including career services, internships and exposure to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.