A Guide to Online Colleges in New Jersey

New Jersey — more affectionately known as the Garden State — is home to both the world’s first boardwalk (at Atlantic City) and over 715-thousand acres of productive farmland. Lying along the northeastern coast of the United States, New Jersey claims 127 miles of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and is bordered on its other sides by New York, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. New Jersey is home to Branch Brook Park which boasts the largest number of cherry blossoms in the United States, the Statue of Liberty National Monument, and Port Newark which is the largest port on the east coast and the third largest port in the United States. Despite being the 4th smallest state, New Jersey is the 11th most populous state and the most densely populated state in the nation, meaning that residents have access to numerous professional networks in both rural and metropolitan areas, international import-export markets, and countless opportunities for outdoor exploration. New Jersey also holds an impressive number of higher education institutions considering its smaller size. The state has a rich and diverse cultural history of higher education, as it is home to Princeton University, the #1 ranked school in the nation, and Rutgers University, the #25 ranked public university in the nation; it is also home to 19 community colleges, over a third of which offer online accredited degree programs. Although one of the many benefits of online degree and certificate programs is the fact that you can complete your schooling from anywhere, there are many reasons why students choose to obtain their online education from colleges and universities in their home state.

In-state tuition is often applied to public schools offering online programs, which can often mean saving thousands or even tens of thousands in tuition. Many online programs require some face-to-face time, or offer valuable support services at their brick and mortar locations that can give students an upper hand in their college education. Intensive study experiences–often on the weekends or in several week long bouts–enable many online students to double-down and accelerate their degree completion time. Students looking at online education can also drastically expand their educational options if they also look to hybrid degrees (degrees where degrees can be taken partially, or mostly online). Often times the capability to visit the campus of an online degree program yields numerous benefits such as developing a professional/academic network, building peer collaboration, and gaining knowledge of the area’s job market, which can be highly beneficial after graduation. In-state enrollment in online degree programs can save students money through state-specific assistance and scholarships as well. One of the most common stipulations in scholarships, however, is that students be from a certain state or region, and so often more funds are available to students seeking degrees in-state.

Top Public Offerings in New Jersey

New Jersey holds a total of 30 public colleges and universities (including 19 community colleges). Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey, is ranked #25 in the nation among public universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report (2017). Rutgers University offers a total of 17 online degree programs (including bachelor’s, master's, and doctoral degrees) and over 150 online certificate programs. Rowan University, which is ranked the #5 Top Public School in the North by U.S. News & World Report (2017), offers a total of 21 online degree programs ranging from bachelor’s to doctoral degrees. The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), which focuses on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related fields, offers 13 online master’s degrees and 19 online certificate programs. Thomas Edison State University (TESU), one of the nation’s first schools designed specifically for adult learners, offers a total of 50 online degree programs ranging from associate’s to doctoral degrees and 28 online certificate programs (both for undergraduate and graduate students). Bergen Community College, the state’s leading producer of associate’s degrees, offers 16 degree programs which can be completed entirely online. In addition to these schools, 5 other community colleges (Ocean County College, Burlington County College, Brookdale Community College, Mercer County Community College, and Passaic County Community College) offer 37 other online associate’s degrees. One other public institution, Montclair State University, offers 2 online master’s degrees. Overall, the public online degree market is very strong in New Jersey with impressive coverage of degrees at the associate, undergraduate, and graduate level with excellent options in professional certification programs as well.

Top Private Offerings in New Jersey

Princeton University, which is located in Princeton New Jersey, is ranked the #1 school in the nation by U.S. News & World Report (2017). Princeton does not, however, offer any online degree programs. Though overall New Jersey does have 8 private colleges and universities which do offer online degrees. Seton Hall University (SHU), Fairleigh Dickinson University, Felician College, and Caldwell College all offer online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs while Monmouth University, Centenary College, and Georgian Court University offer online master’s degree programs. Saint Peter’s University is a christian institution that offers an array of faith-based online bachelor’s degree programs. Seton Hall University offers 11 total online degree programs (1 bachelor’s degree program and 10 master’s degree programs); however, some of these programs are hybrid and still require occasional on-campus visits. Fairleigh Dickinson University offers 15 online degree programs (1 bachelor’s degree and 14 master’s degree programs). While there is a wide array of prestigious public online bachelor’s and master’s degree options in New Jersey, students seeking online associate’s or a doctoral degrees will likely find their best bet is to explore the state’s public online colleges and universities.

According to the National College Board for the 2015-2016 school year the average cost of tuition and fees in the United States was $9,410 for in-state residents at public colleges and universities, $23,893 for out-of-state residents at public colleges and universities, and $32,405 for students attending private colleges and universities. For New Jersey colleges and universities, however, the average cost during the same time period was slightly lower. At public colleges and universities in New Jersey, the average cost of attendance during the 2015-2016 school year was $8,801 for in-state students and $13,944 for out-of-state students. For private colleges and universities in New Jersey the average cost of tuition and fees during the 2015-2016 school year was $22,181.

The cheapest institute of higher education in New Jersey for the 2015-2016 school year (by in-state tuition) was Thomas Edison State University (formerly Thomas Edison State College) with an in-state tuition of $6,135. The most expensive institute of higher education in New Jersey for the 2015-2016 school year (by in-state tuition) was Drew University (a private university) with a tuition of $45,552. Princeton University, the #1 ranked university in the nation, holds tuition costs of $43,450. For the 2016 school year, Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey), has an average in-state cost (tuition and fees) of $13,909 and an average out-of-state cost (tuition and fees) of $29,132. In the context of saving money, many students will find New Jersey’s public school in-state tuition costs are highly affordable compared to out-of-state or private university tuitions.

Newark with a population of approximately 277-thousand is New Jersey’s largest city and the second largest city in the New York Metropolitan Area. Located only 8 miles from Manhattan, Newark is the major cultural center of New Jersey. Newark then splits into five wards-Central, East, North, South, and West — each of which have their own personality. The Central Ward, which includes downtown Newark, has many historic sites and college campuses such as the Krueger Mansion, the Prudential Center, Rutgers University-Newark, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Berkeley College. The East Ward (also known as the Ironbound due to the railroads that surround it) contains more than 170 restaurants, wine shops, and specialty food shops, many of which reflect the ward’s Portuguese/Spanish/Brazilian cultural influences. The North Ward is home to Branch Brook Park, which has the largest number of cherry blossoms in the United States (4,300 cherry trees), North Newark’s Castle, the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and St. Lucy’s Church — all of which are excellent attractions for residents and tourists alike. The South Ward is home to Weequahic Park, Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal (the largest port on the east coast and the third largest port in the United States), and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (the city’s second largest hospital). Finally, the West Ward is home to the historic Fairmount Cemetery, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and the Sacred Heart Church.

Jersey City, New Jersey’s second largest city, had a population of roughly 264-thousand people in 2015. This number represents an approximately 6.7% increase since 2010, making Jersey City the fastest growing municipality in New Jersey since 2010. Some estimates even suggest that the population of Jersey City will surpass that of Newark in 2016. This increase may be due partly to the fact that Manhattan is only a 10-20 minute train ride away from Jersey City, and yet the costs of living are significantly lower in Jersey City than in Manhattan and its other nearby areas. In the last few years Jersey City has undergone both significant revitalization and new development. Jersey City, which is bordered by the Hudson River on the east and the Hackensack river on the west, is home to the Statue of Liberty National Monument, Ellis Island, and Liberty Island. These rivers stimulate both trade and outdoorist culture, which is a well-known favorite among college goers. The booming city growth also means that students in the area have enormous opportunity in the growing city infrastructure in the form of valuable internships, new successful startup companies, and overall growing job markets.

The Best Online Colleges in New Jersey

Monitoring the accreditation of a university you are interested in attending is incredibly important. Accreditation ensures your credits can transfer that you can receive Federal financial aid, and most importantly that certain standards of educational quality are during your schooling. The highest accreditation standard for most programs in the United States is provided by regional accreditation agencies. The regional accrediting agency for California is the Middle State Commission on Higher Education, one of six regional accrediting agencies responsible for accrediting schools in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

Making sure that a University you're hoping to attend is regionally accredited — or accredited by a real and respected accrediting agency — is one of the most important choices you can make in ensuring the quality of your education.

Three Steps for Securing Financial Aid

Through the previous three steps most students find themselves offered some sort of federal grant, work study, private grant, scholarship, or stipend.

Great New Jersey Higher Education Resources