These Are The Top NJ Colleges In 2027 U.S. News Rankings

NEW JERSEY— Eleven New Jersey colleges and universities earned spots in the 2027 Best Colleges rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

The highest-ranked New Jersey school was Princeton University, which placed No. 2 among National Universities.

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Rutgers University-New Brunswick ranked No. 44, followed by Stevens Institute of Technology at No. 59.

Here are the New Jersey schools included among the top 100 National Universities nationwide:

• Princeton University, No. 2
• Rutgers University-New Brunswick, No. 44
• Stevens Institute of Technology, No. 59
• Rutgers University-Newark, No. 73
• New Jersey Institute of Technology, No. 85
• Rutgers University-Camden, No. 95

Six additional New Jersey schools appeared outside the top 100: Montclair State University and Seton Hall University tied at No. 156; Monmouth University ranked No. 169; Rowan University ranked No. 191; and Kean University ranked No. 317.

Some Rankings Changed Sharply

The 2027 rankings feature changes to both U.S. News' scoring formula and the categories used to classify colleges.

A new measure compares graduates' four-year earnings with those of graduates in the same field nationwide. The measure uses U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data for employed federal financial aid recipients with bachelor's degrees.

The new earnings measure replaced graduate indebtedness, which U.S. News discontinued after determining the debt data had become outdated and less reliable.

About one-fifth of the colleges evaluated also moved into different categories under a new classification system developedby the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education.

U.S. News said a college's move between ranking categories does not necessarily indicate a change in its academic quality.

The publication also added a ranking for undergraduate economics programs and a Best Value Schools for In-State Students list focused on affordability at public colleges.

Here are the New Jersey schools included in the National Universities rankings:

• Princeton University — No. 2
• Rutgers University-New Brunswick — No. 44
• Stevens Institute of Technology — No. 59
• Rutgers University-Newark — No. 73
• New Jersey Institute of Technology — No. 85
• Rutgers University-Camden — No. 95
• Montclair State University — No. 156
• Seton Hall University — No. 156
• Monmouth University — No. 169
• Rowan University — No. 191
• Kean University — No. 317

The top private and public universities are:

National Universities (Private)

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

2. Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey

3. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

National Universities (Public)

1 (tie). University of California, Berkeley

1 (tie). University of California, Los Angeles

3. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

National Liberal Arts Colleges

1. Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts

2. Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts

3 (tie). Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine

3 (tie). Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, California

3 (tie). Pomona College, Claremont, California

3 (tie). Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

How Rankings Are Calculated

U.S. News evaluates schools using measures that include graduation and retention rates, the performance of students who received federal Pell Grants, faculty resources, academic reputation, graduates' earnings and student debt.

U.S. News said the rankings should be considered one tool among many when choosing a college. Cost, financial aid, available majors, campus culture, location and a student's likelihood of graduating can matter more than a school's numerical position.