Rutgers University
New Jersey, United States
Founded1766
Students51,400 UG / 19,400 PG
Acceptance66.0%
Updated February 5, 2026
Overview
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a preeminent public research university and land-grant institution. Founded in 1766 as Queen’s College, it is the eighth-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and one of only nine original colonial colleges. Today, it has evolved into a massive academic and health powerhouse, serving as a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Big Ten Academic Alliance.
The university is dedicated to educational equity and social mobility, enrolling more than 71,000 students across its various campuses. It is known for its comprehensive academic offerings, which include over 150 undergraduate majors and 400 graduate programs. As the state university of New Jersey, Rutgers maintains a mission of research, teaching, and service, governed by a Board of Governors and a Board of Trustees.
Location
Rutgers is organized into three main regional locations in New Jersey: New Brunswick, Newark, and Camden. The flagship New Brunswick location is a massive operation comprising five distinct campuses: Busch, College Avenue, Cook, Douglass, and Livingston. The Newark location serves as an urban research university and anchor institution in downtown Newark, while the Camden campus is situated in the Delaware Valley near Philadelphia, offering a setting known for community engagement.
In addition to these regional hubs, the university includes Rutgers Health, one of the nation’s largest academic health centers. The physical infrastructure is notable for its scale and sustainability, including a 32-acre solar array on the Livingston campus that provides 60% of its power and the 52,000-seat SHI Stadium.
New Brunswick, United States
Also in: Camden, United States · Newark, United States · Newark, United States
Campuses
New Brunswick
MainNew Brunswick· United States
Camden
Camden· United States
Newark
Newark· United States
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark· United States
Campus Culture
The university offers a robust campus experience characterized by a highly diverse student body representing all 50 states and 135 countries. At the Newark campus, for instance, over 34% of students identify as Hispanic/Latino and 16% as African American/Black. A significant portion of the student body, between 30% and 40% of first-year students, are first-generation college undergraduates.
Student life is supported by over 800 student organizations and a significant residential program. Rutgers–New Brunswick operates one of the largest collegiate housing programs in the country with more than 50 housing options. Athletics play a major role in campus culture, with teams competing in the Big Ten Conference (New Brunswick) and NCAA Division III (Newark and Camden). To facilitate travel between its various campuses, the university operates the second-largest bus system in the state of New Jersey.
Notable Alumni
Rutgers boasts a vast global alumni network of over 615,000 individuals. Graduates of the university have gone on to hold significant leadership positions across various sectors, including major organizations such as ESPN, the FBI, Home Depot, Ford Motor Company, and the NBA. This extensive network provides a strong foundation for career outcomes and professional connections for current students and fellow graduates.
Rankings
Rutgers consistently ranks among the top public universities in the United States. U.S. News & World Report (2025-2026) ranks Rutgers–New Brunswick as #16 among public national universities. The institution is particularly prestigious for its contribution to social mobility, with its Newark and Camden campuses ranking #5 and #9 nationally in this category, respectively.
Several academic programs hold elite status; the university is ranked #1 in both Women’s History and African American History. Its Philosophy program is ranked #3 in the world by QS World University Rankings. Additionally, the Rutgers Business School is recognized as the #1 public business school in the Northeast, and its health-related programs, including Nursing and Physician Assistant studies, are frequently ranked among the top 20 in the nation.
Research
As a leading research hub, Rutgers reported annual research and development expenditures of $969.5 million in FY 2024. The university maintains over 300 research centers and institutes, including the Institute of Jazz Studies—the world’s largest jazz archive—and the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine. It also houses unique facilities like the Rutgers Bridge Evaluation and Accelerated Structural Testing (BEAST) facility.
The university's research environment is supported by a distinguished faculty that includes Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize winners, MacArthur "Genius" grant recipients, and members of the National Academies. Furthermore, Rutgers Health supports over 450 concurrent clinical trials, reinforcing the institution's role as a major contributor to medical and scientific innovation.