The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review recognized TCNJ as one of the most academically outstanding colleges in the Northeast for 2026 — a designation we share with Princeton, Yale, and Dartmouth. It also named TCNJ one of the best 391 colleges in the nation for 2026, based on student evaluations.
Money’s Best Colleges 2025
TCNJ earned a strong 4.5-star rating (out of five) on Money’s 2025 list of the Best Colleges in America. Money describes TCNJ as “a public school that could easily be confused for a private one” and calls its outcomes “top-notch.”
TCNJ named top-ranked college in region by U.S. News
In its 2026 Best Colleges rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked The College of New Jersey as the top public institution in the “Best Regional Universities—North” category.
TCNJ has held the top spot in its region among public colleges every year since 1991, but this year, it vaulted to the top overall spot among all institutions, public and private.
TCNJ was also ranked as the best college in the region for veterans, and its average first-year retention rate was recognized as being #1 among the region’s public universities.
The Wall Street Journal’s Best Colleges in the U.S. for 2026
The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rank TCNJ among the top 20% of all colleges and universities – and as the #3 public college in New Jersey – on their 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. list.
The rankings also recognized TCNJ for being among the top 25% of institutions in the category of best (graduate) salaries.
The WSJ/College Pulse rankings assess 584 colleges and universities from across the country. The methodology stresses student outcomes, including salaries, and the learning environment. Their assessment of the latter incorporates student survey feedback.
9th highest 4-year graduation rate among the nation’s public colleges
TCNJ has the ninth highest four-year graduation rate in the nation (and the highest in New Jersey) among the nation’s traditional, four-year public universities, per the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)’ latest data. TCNJ’s success at helping students graduate on time puts us in the elite company of Berkeley, Amherst, and UVA.
Forbes’ America’s Top Colleges for 2026
TCNJ again appeared on Forbes’ list of America’s Top Colleges, this time for 2026, and also received the distinction of being ranked the #3 public college in New Jersey. These rankings are based on return on investment, average student debt levels, and outcomes for graduates.
Poets&Quants’ Top Undergraduate Business Schools
The publication has consistently included TCNJ among the top 100 business schools in the nation in its annual undergraduate B-school rankings.