University Benchmarks

Ranking the Top 100 Academic Universities

UniversityBenchmarks.com ranks the universities that attract and produce the best academic students.

There are many 'University Rankings' on the internet. Most rankings rely heavily on subjective metrics like 'reputation' and 'selectivity'. UniversityBenchmarks is purely an academic ranking model. The rankings are based on the reported academic and financial metrics of the colleges. There are no subjective factors like 'reputation' that are used. The calculations are performed using normal statistical models. All universities are considered equal and there is no weighting of the ranking categories.

The university 2014-2015 dataset is comprised of over 2400 US Universities & Colleges and comes from multiple sources using the most favorable reported metrics for a university.

The universities are ranked against each other in each filtered set. It is an iterative process whereby lower ranking universities are removed and the set is re-ranked until the final set of 100 is reached.

Selecting 'Rank Top 10 Only' will show the Top 10 for each filter category ranked against each other.

The academic rankings of the universities within the major conferences (ACC, Big12, Big10, Pac12, SEC) are available.

The 2017 rankings will be available in August.

Notes:
  • It is possible for universities to be ranked higher/lower than one another depending on the filter set.
  • Conference averages are based on the top 8 schools in the conference.
  • Public Schools are highlighted
  • Clicking on the university's seal icon will take you to the university's website.

Ranking Fields

Rank - Overall rank based on the average of the ranking fields (Scores, Difficulty, Smartest, Brainpower, Faculty and Research).

Scores - SAT & ACT scores. The university's test scores are corrected for dropout rate when score level is Good, Excellent or Elite. This will slightly boost scores for highly competitive schools.

Difficulty - Academic rigor is estimated based on how difficult it is to get an "A" at the university. An estimated GPA at the university is calculated for the average US Student. University grade inflation, average GPA, and STEM density are factors.

Smartest - University that can field the highest scoring students based on the average US University size. Higher Smartest Rank = "Smartest for the Average University"

Brainpower - The average "smartest" rank using 5 reference populations (CalTech, MIT, Stanford, GaTech and Berkeley). Higher Brainpower Rank = "Higher Density of Smart Students". The university ranked higher can mathematically field 'X' number of smarter students than universities ranked below them.

Faculty - Ranking based on number of % of faculty with awards and academy membership.

Research - Ranking is achieved by iteratively ranking the average of 3 research metrics (r-pop, r-stem, r-other ). The lowest ranked college is then removed and the new set is re-ranked. The result is the schools with potentially the strongest research environments per student bubble up to the top regardless of size or research budget.

  • r-pop - Average research spending for student population
  • r-stem - STEM research spending
  • r-other - Other/Medical/Health research spending

Salary ROI - "Salary Return on Investment" is not used in the overall ranking but is provided for additional information. Using the undergraduate average starting and mid-career salaries, the rank is based on a 20yr salary accumulation (with raises) minus the cost of a 4 year education at the university. Salaries are normalized across the country using the average COLA for the university's geo-economic region (7 regions total). The COLA effect is diminished by the level of the university. Elite, Excellent and Good universities have a greater distribution of graduates across the country and a diminishing COLA effect. The resultant value would be the graduate's spending potential over the 20yr period.

Overall ROI - "Overall Return on Investment" is not used in the overall ranking but is provided for additional information. The average of Overall Rank and Salary ROI. This would be the "Best academic bang for the buck". Colleges that produce the best education, at the best price, with the best return will be ranked higher.

Color Key - ranks are colorized as follows 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 50 100

The 2016 University Academic Rankings

State of New Jersey University Academic Rankings

Search :
examples: Yale "Wake Forest" "Big Ten" TX NC

2016 New Jersey University Academic Rankings

2016 New Jersey University Academic Rankings
rank value image public university state conference scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research r pop r stem r other salary ROI overall ROI scores value difficulty value smartest value brainpower value faculty value research value salary ROI value overall ROI value scores level stem drop gpa avg research undergrads grads salary price scores valid
11.17
PrivatePrinceton UniversityNew JerseyIvy League111112132212259|94-0.60|1002266|942211|924|991.67|981580124|791.50|992259/1506/34Elite2943.28261539126976130058965True
22.33
PublicRutgers University-New BrunswickNew JerseyBig Ten Conference432221311431805|752.48|382060|862011|8451|831.00|991169199|583.00|971805/1203/27AboveAverage27212.9543234544138345080044711True
33.17
PrivateStevens Institute of TechnologyNew JerseyEmpire Eight224434444121964|821.74|561858|771707|7170|773.67|961604939|802.00|981964/1309/29Excellent71203.2536289232336680061430True
44.67
PublicThe College of New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference353377777651867|782.52|371929|801709|71300|07.00|931130233|575.00|951867/1244/28Good22123.10067436665100041406True
54.83
PublicNew Jersey Institute of TechnologyNew JerseyIndependent Northeast Region546743226341670|702.50|381775|741533|64132|562.33|981257111|634.00|961670/1113/25AboveAverage100392.9599755030965520047268True
66.83
PublicRowan UniversityNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference8955777771581650|692.78|301836|771624|68300|07.00|93963039|4810.50|901650/1100/25AboveAverage30242.9501202227564540035376True
77.50
PrivateSeton Hall UniversityNew JerseyBig East Conference5118966665761670|702.82|301724|721437|60188|385.67|941070558|547.00|931670/1113/25AboveAverage9332.956581738104850051780True
87.83
PublicThe Richard Stockton College of New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference106987777717111600|672.69|331720|721464|61300|07.00|93938691|4712.50|881600/1067/24Average42332.80077148563980034982True
98.50
PublicRutgers University-NewarkNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference128101155553871579|662.76|311694|711402|58139|544.33|961065453|538.50|921579/1053/24Average28302.8033740839064920044955True
108.83
PublicRamapo College of New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference9711127777716131635|682.70|321687|701387|58300|07.00|93953233|4813.00|871635/1090/25Average16252.80057102934250038059True
1110.50
PrivateMonmouth UniversityNew JerseyBig South Conference / Metro A...111014147777711101585|662.79|301585|661286|54300|07.00|93988811|4911.00|891585/1057/24Average13322.800463417614490048376True
1210.67
PublicMontclair State UniversityNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference19187677777981450|602.98|251737|721600|67300|07.00|931005358|5010.50|901450/967/22BelowAverage15352.8001588541374270037064True
1312.00
PrivateDrew UniversityNew JerseyLandmark Conference71221187777719171660|692.82|30920|381085|45300|07.00|93903994|4516.00|841660/1107/25AboveAverage14312.95014176964370061016True
1312.00
PublicRutgers University-CamdenNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference151315157777712111545|642.82|301559|651241|52300|07.00|93988650|4912.50|881545/1030/23Average24372.800485714644350043787True
1512.50
PrivateRider UniversityNew JerseyMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference141417167777721201555|652.84|291531|641228|51300|07.00|93884348|4418.00|821555/1037/23Average9362.80042969984280053660True
1612.50
PublicWilliam Paterson University of New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference171612107777718181505|632.90|281686|701428|60300|07.00|93915005|4617.00|831505/1003/23Average13482.800961914294110035580True
1715.00
PrivateFairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan CampusNew JerseyNortheast Conference181716177777710141470|612.97|261550|651179|49300|07.00|93993840|5013.50|871470/980/22BelowAverage17572.800605127264360052674True
1815.11
PrivateFairleigh Dickinson University-College at FlorhamNew JerseyMiddle Atlantic States Athleti...161519207777713151530|642.87|281078|45972|40300|07.00|93984448|4915.50|851530/1020/23Average12442.80024008314360055022True
1915.73
PublicKean UniversityNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference242313137777720211350|563.08|231610|671313|55300|07.00|93902066|4519.50|811350/900/20BelowAverage20472.8001198723724100034417True
2017.40
PublicNew Jersey City UniversityNew JerseyEastern College Athletic Conference222118197777714181363|573.07|231460|611043|43300|07.00|93970346|4917.00|831363/909/20BelowAverage30532.800622919074780034938True
2118.00
PrivateCentenary CollegeNew JerseyColonial States Athletic Conference201922227777724221425|593.02|25450|19673|28300|07.00|93730663|3722.50|781425/950/21BelowAverage19512.80016127063550043937True
2218.10
PrivateCaldwell CollegeNew JerseyCentral Atlantic Collegiate Conf212023237777726231410|593.02|24420|18647|27300|07.00|93483089|2424.00|761410/940/21BelowAverage16422.80016005843190045650True
2318.12
PrivateSaint Peter's UniversityNew JerseyMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference232220217777728271360|573.07|23934|39711|30300|07.00|93468377|2325.50|751360/907/20BelowAverage15482.80025067963190049328True
2418.50
PrivateBeth Medrash GovohaNew JerseyNo Conference Affiliation132828287777725251565|654.00|0-2400|0-2400|0300|07.00|93536989|2724.50|761565/1043/23Unknown002.80027034018319000False
2520.04
PrivateGeorgian Court UniversityNew JerseyCentral Atlantic Collegiate Conf252424247777723231340|563.09|23280|12523|22300|07.00|93835085|4224.00|761340/893/20BelowAverage17462.80016216873870045144True
2621.15
PrivateCollege of Saint ElizabethNew JerseyNorth Eastern Athletic Conference27252626777775151295|543.11|22190|8403|17300|07.00|931132605|5715.50|851295/863/19BelowAverage32422.8008955165070047147True
2721.80
PrivateFelician CollegeNew JerseyDivision II Independents262625257777727281305|543.12|22210|9462|19300|07.00|93479669|2427.00|731305/870/20BelowAverage33622.80016343193190046505True
2823.20
PrivateBloomfield CollegeNew JerseyCentral Atlantic Collegiate Conf282727277777722261240|523.18|2080|3357|15300|07.00|93884112|4425.00|751240/827/19BelowAverage25662.800199953810042146True

Common Questions...

What are the best colleges in New Jersey?

1. Princeton University

2. Rutgers University-New Brunswick

3. Stevens Institute of Technology

4. The College of New Jersey

5. New Jersey Institute of Technology

6. Rowan University

7. Seton Hall University

2016 Top 10 New Jersey University Academic Rankings

2016 Top 10 New Jersey University Academic Rankings
rank value public name state conference scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research salary ROI overall ROI scores level stem drop gpa avg research undergrads grads salary price
11.17PrivatePrinceton UniversityNew JerseyIvy League111112212259/1506/34Elite2943.28261539126976130058965
22.33PublicRutgers University-New BrunswickNew JerseyBig Ten Conference432221431805/1203/27AboveAverage27212.9543234544138345080044711
33.17PrivateStevens Institute of TechnologyNew JerseyEmpire Eight224434121964/1309/29Excellent71203.2536289232336680061430
44.67PublicThe College of New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference353377551867/1244/28Good22123.10067436665100041406
54.83PublicNew Jersey Institute of TechnologyNew JerseyIndependent Northeast Region546743341670/1113/25AboveAverage100392.9599755030965520047268
66.50PublicRowan UniversityNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference785577971650/1100/25AboveAverage30242.9501202227564540035376
77.17PrivateSeton Hall UniversityNew JerseyBig East Conference598966661670/1113/25AboveAverage9332.956581738104850051780
87.50PublicThe Richard Stockton College of New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference8698771091600/1067/24Average42332.80077148563980034982
97.67PublicRutgers University-NewarkNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference97101055781579/1053/24Average28302.8033740839064920044955
107.83PublicMontclair State UniversityNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic Conference10107677891450/967/22BelowAverage15352.8001588541374270037064