Rutgers University-New Brunswick: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a public college in New Brunswick, NJ. Students pay about $24,406 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $74,479 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 4.3 years and adds $158,666 over a decade, ranking it #105 of 918 (top 12%) by value added.
What is Rutgers University-New Brunswick's acceptance rate?
Rutgers University-New Brunswick has an acceptance rate of 58.1%, which makes it moderately selective. It is a public institution in New Brunswick, NJ enrolling about 37,751 students, with a 84.3% graduation rate.
How much does Rutgers University-New Brunswick cost?
Rutgers University-New Brunswick costs about $24,406 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $119,124. Published sticker cost of attendance is $36,993 per year.
How much do Rutgers University-New Brunswick graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Rutgers University-New Brunswick student earns $74,479 per year. That is $27,779 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is Rutgers University-New Brunswick worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Rutgers University-New Brunswick pays back its roughly $119,124 cost in about 4.3 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $158,666 net of cost, a 2.33x return on the money invested. That ranks it #105 of 918 (top 12%) by value added. Its above-median value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Above-median value
Rutgers University-New Brunswick graduation rate and student debt
84.3% of Rutgers University-New Brunswick students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $21,500 in federal student debt. That debt is about 29% of one year of median graduate earnings.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Rutgers University-New Brunswick compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $24,406 | $20,299 | cheaper than 33% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $74,479 | $54,768 | 86th |
| Graduation rate | 84.3% | 57.0% | 92th |
| Acceptance rate | 58.1% | 75.7% | more selective than 77% |
| 10-yr value added | $158,666 | -$28,192 | 89th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 2.33x | 0.73x | 86th |
| Payback period | 4.3 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 82% |
How Rutgers University-New Brunswick compares with its nearest rivals
Rutgers University-New Brunswick ranks #105 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 2 of them cost less per year and 5 of them produce higher median earnings ten years after entry.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a public college in New Brunswick, NJ with 37,751 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $36,993 a year, but the average aided family pays $24,406, a 34% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $21,500, equal to 29% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Rutgers University-New Brunswick admits 58.1% of applicants.
- New York University (New York, NY; #86 of 918; 88.0% graduate) costs $12,644 more per year ($37,050 net), and its graduates earn $8,030 more ten years out ($82,509). New York University adds $30,724 more ten-year value than Rutgers University-New Brunswick. New York University pays back its cost in 4.7 years.
- Amherst College (Amherst, MA; #80 of 918; 93.7% graduate) costs $1,039 less per year ($23,367 net), and its graduates earn $3,165 more ten years out ($77,644). Amherst College adds $43,566 more ten-year value than Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Amherst College pays back its cost in 3.5 years.
- Boston University (Boston, MA; #66 of 918; 89.3% graduate) costs about the same per year ($24,402 net), and its graduates earn $8,759 more ten years out ($83,238). Boston University adds $85,856 more ten-year value than Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Boston University pays back its cost in 3.3 years.
- George Washington University (Washington, DC; #50 of 918; 84.5% graduate) costs $12,180 more per year ($36,586 net), and its graduates earn $16,394 more ten years out ($90,873). George Washington University adds $116,271 more ten-year value than Rutgers University-New Brunswick. George Washington University pays back its cost in 3.8 years.
- Trinity College (Hartford, CT; #49 of 918; 83.3% graduate) costs $10,426 more per year ($34,832 net), and its graduates earn $16,300 more ten years out ($90,779). Trinity College adds $119,796 more ten-year value than Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Trinity College pays back its cost in 3.7 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity College | #49 | $34,832 | $90,779 | 83.3% | $278,462 |
| George Washington University | #50 | $36,586 | $90,873 | 84.5% | $274,937 |
| Boston University | #66 | $24,402 | $83,238 | 89.3% | $244,522 |
| Amherst College | #80 | $23,367 | $77,644 | 93.7% | $202,232 |
| New York University | #86 | $37,050 | $82,509 | 88.0% | $189,390 |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick | #105 | $24,406 | $74,479 | 84.3% | $158,666 |
Paying for Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is Rutgers University-New Brunswick worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Rutgers University-New Brunswick ranks #105 of 918 (top 12%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 2.33x the money invested over a decade.
Is Rutgers University-New Brunswick expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $24,406 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 33% of them.
Do Rutgers University-New Brunswick graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $74,479 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 86% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into Rutgers University-New Brunswick compared to other colleges?
Its 58.1% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 77% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.