Best Online Colleges in New Jersey

Q: How many online colleges are in New Jersey?

New Jersey is home to 54 colleges and universities offering associate through doctoral degrees, many of which offer online programming. Some may offer full degrees, while others may provide only a selection of classes.

Q: Can you go to college for free in New Jersey?

The New Jersey College Promise program offers free tuition for students whose annual adjusted gross income (AGI) sits below $65,000 and offers a reduced rate for those with AGI between 65,001 and $80,000 annually. You can also apply to the FAFSA and see what your financial aid options are.

Q: What is the easiest online college to get into in New Jersey?

With a 92% admission acceptance rate, William Paterson University has the highest admittance rate of public universities. Meanwhile, Centenary University, a private institution, maintains a 98% admittance rate.

Q: What is the #1 college in New Jersey?

Princeton University is widely recognized as the best college in New Jersey. Princeton is an Ivy League school known for its prestige, decades of history, elite social clubs, and illustrious alumni.

Learn about the best online colleges in New Jersey and which one fits your needs.

Edited by

Reviewed by

Updated April 16, 2024

Why Trust BestColleges

3,700+ Nonprofit, accredited colleges analyzed
6,000+ Users connected with programs every month
300+ College and university partners
40+ Expert reviewers

Learn more about our Editorial Policy and Standards and Advertising Disclosure.

New Jersey is home to dozens of colleges and universities, most of which are strategically located near major metropolitan centers like New York. And with many of these New Jersey colleges offering online programs, you can tap into an exceptional education regardless of your location.

Whether you’re looking to enroll in a bachelor’s or master’s program, or are interested in earning your associate degree at an online community college, there are many online colleges in New Jersey you can choose from.

Keep reading to learn about some of the top online colleges in the Garden State.

Learn More

Visit Site

Learn More

Visit Site

Learn More

Visit Site

In this Article

Best Online Colleges in New Jersey

We use trusted sources like Peterson's Data and the National Center for Education Statistics to inform the data for these schools. from our partners appear among these rankings and are indicated as such.

How We Rank Schools

To create this ranking, BestColleges sourced the most recent data available from the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. We then ranked each school according to the top variables college students selected in our College Choice and Admissions Survey. To learn more, check out our full rankings methodology or read the summary below.

To qualify for our rankings lists, each school must be an accredited public or private, nonprofit institution. Each eligible school was then ranked based on a formula measuring:

2024

Affordability (30%)
Student outcomes (30%)
Reputation (20%)
Diversity and social mobility (20%)

In addition, we only included colleges with graduation rates in the top third of all online colleges.

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ4 yearCampus + Online

$12,900

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$30,600

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

66%

Acceptance Rate

74%

Online Enrollment

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $441
Out-of-State | $1,054

Credits to Graduate: 120

Rutgers University, New Brunswick, is part of the U.S.'s eighth-oldest higher learning institution, dating back to 1771. It's also a member of the Big Ten Conference. Rutgers is often regarded as the top public university in New Jersey.

The university offers a range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs that can be completed totally online, with the same quality and faculty as in-person programs. Certificate programs and individual courses can also be completed in an online format.

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$18,696

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$31,800

Retention Rate

92%

Students Enrolled

51,054

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$12,900

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$30,600

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$12,900

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$30,600

Acceptance Rate

66%

Online Enrollment

74%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$18,696

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$31,800

Retention Rate

92%

Students Enrolled

51,054

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $441
Out-of-State | $1,054

Credits to Graduate: 120

Rowan University

Glassboro, NJ4 yearCampus + Online

$10,714

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$20,108

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

77%

Acceptance Rate

51%

Online Enrollment

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $424
Out-of-State | $424

Credits to Graduate: 120

Rowan University was founded in 1923 as a teaching college. Since then, it's evolved into a larger institution with approximately 18,000 students. It offers 74 bachelor's degrees, 51 master's degrees, and four doctoral degrees, along with a range of certificates.

Rowan University offers online programs through its Rowan Global school. These programs are online, accelerated, or held in the evenings and include high-demand degrees in education, nursing, engineering, and management. Some programs may be fully online, while others involve hybrid coursework.

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$13,695

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$13,695

Retention Rate

84%

Students Enrolled

19,568

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$10,714

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$20,108

Rowan University

Glassboro, NJ4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$10,714

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$20,108

Acceptance Rate

77%

Online Enrollment

51%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$13,695

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$13,695

Retention Rate

84%

Students Enrolled

19,568

Institution Type

Public

Accreditation

Yes

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $424
Out-of-State | $424

Credits to Graduate: 120

Rider University

Lawrenceville, NJ4 yearCampus + Online

$35,000

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$35,000

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

84%

Acceptance Rate

21%

Online Enrollment

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $1,255
Out-of-State | $1,255

Credits to Graduate: 120

Rider University was founded as a private business college in 1865. But today, it offers many programs through its various colleges to suit the unique needs of its students. Rider has over 90 academic majors and minors to choose from.

Among its many programs is its Lifting Barriers initiative, which helps students forge a path to success through financial aid packages and academic and career support. Rider offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs that can be completed totally online for convenience.

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$19,599

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$19,599

Retention Rate

77%

Students Enrolled

4,051

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$35,000

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$35,000

Rider University

Lawrenceville, NJ4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$35,000

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$35,000

Acceptance Rate

84%

Online Enrollment

21%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$19,599

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$19,599

Retention Rate

77%

Students Enrolled

4,051

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $1,255
Out-of-State | $1,255

Credits to Graduate: 120

Saint Peter's University

Jersey City, NJ4 yearCampus + Online

$37,660

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$37,660

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

93%

Acceptance Rate

55%

Online Enrollment

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $1,330
Out-of-State | $1,330

Credits to Graduate: 120

Saint Peter's University is the only university in New Jersey that provides a Jesuit-based education and one of 27 in the country. It offers over 50 undergraduate programs and 13 graduate programs. It's only a 12-minute train ride from downtown Manhattan. Over 3,500 students are enrolled at the university, and it has a 12-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio.

Saint Peter's has an entire department committed to developing and managing its online programs. They currently offer several online graduate programs and one doctoral program in higher education.

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$21,186

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$21,186

Retention Rate

77%

Students Enrolled

3,009

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$37,660

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$37,660

Saint Peter's University

Jersey City, NJ4 yearCampus + Online

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, In-State

$37,660

Avg. Undergrad Tuition, Out-of-state

$37,660

Acceptance Rate

93%

Online Enrollment

55%

Avg. Grad Tuition, In-State

$21,186

Avg. Grad Tuition, Out-of-state

$21,186

Retention Rate

77%

Students Enrolled

3,009

Institution Type

Private

Accreditation

Yes

Cost per Credit:
In-State | $1,330
Out-of-State | $1,330

Credits to Graduate: 120

Saint Peter's has an entire department committed to developing and managing its online programs. They currently offer several online graduate programs and one doctoral program in higher education.

Cost of College in New Jersey

While tuition costs will vary depending on where you attend and your residency status, the average tuition costs in New Jersey were a bit more than the national average tuition costs in 2021-2022.

For in-state students at public universities, the national average tuition cost was $9,596, while New Jersey’s average was $14,861. For out-of-state students, the national average public university tuition was $27,457, and the New Jersey average was $29,681.

Cost of College in New Jersey in 2021-2022
Institution Type	Average Tuition & Required Fees
Public Four-Year (In-State)	$14,184
Public Four-Year (Out-of-State)	$29,681
Private Four-Year	$39,094
Public Two-Year (In-State)	$4,919
Public Two-Year (Out-of-State)	$8,148

Source: NCES

10 Fast-Growing Jobs in New Jersey

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a wide variety of careers in New Jersey are projected to grow significantly by 2032.

Nurse practitioner jobs are projected to grow an astounding 38% between 2022 and 2032, and offer substantial six-figure salaries. Jobs within the sciences and technology are also projected to grow, with roles for data scientists, information security analysts, statisticians, and web developers all ranking high.

If you’re interested in pursuing one of these fast-growing careers, consider choosing an online college in NJ that offers a relevant degree.

Note: Wages with an asterisk symbol in the table below denote average wage data.

10 Fast-Growing Jobs in New Jersey
Job	Job Growth 2021-2031	Median U.S. Annual Wage 2022
Nurse Practitioners	38%	$121,610
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, And Ticket Takers	40.5%	$26,390*
Cooks, Restaurant	36.6%	$36,060*
Data Scientists	35.8%	$119,040*
Athletes And Sports Competitors	35.7%	$94,270
Information Security Analysts	34.7%	$112,000
Statisticians	32.7%	$109,190*
Web Developers	30.3%	$95,570*
Animal Caretakers	29.9%	$33,530*
Choreographers	29.7%	$59,090*

Source: BLS, DataWrapper

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Colleges in New Jersey

What is the cheapest online college in New Jersey?

Kean University and William Paterson University of New Jersey are some of the most affordable online colleges in New Jersey, with a student population of at least 1,000. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Kean University’s in-state tuition fee was $13,426 for the 2023-2024 school year.