Best colleges for education in New Jersey
Montclair State University ranks first in New Jersey for education value (#29 nationally, value score 80.6): graduates earn $65,007 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $15,193 a year.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 7 New Jersey colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026
Best education colleges in New Jersey
Montclair State University ranks first in New Jersey for education value (#29 nationally, value score 80.6): graduates earn $65,007 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $15,193 a year. 7 New Jersey colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $60,178 and the average net price is $23,938 a year.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025
What the data shows
Key findings
- 7 New Jersey colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $60,178 and the average net price is $23,938 a year.
- The lowest average net price among them is at Kean University-New Jersey: $14,465 a year.
- Median earnings
- $60,178
- National: $48,822
- Median net price
- $23,938
- National: $17,201
- Median federal debt
- $23,850
- education graduates
- Public colleges
- 4 of 7
- in this list
7 colleges
The New Jersey ranking
Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
- Earnings
- $65,007
- Net price
- $15,193
- Federal debt
- $23,850
- Graduation rate
- 66%
- Rank in New Jersey 2
Hackettstown, NJ · Private nonprofit · #51 nationally
74.8Value- Earnings
- $61,358
- Net price
- $21,655
- Federal debt
- $15,133
- Graduation rate
- 67%
- Earnings
- $58,885
- Net price
- $14,465
- Federal debt
- $21,043
- Graduation rate
- 48%
- Earnings
- $59,328
- Net price
- $26,752
- Federal debt
- $21,500
- Graduation rate
- 85%
- Rank in New Jersey 5
West Long Branch, NJ · Private nonprofit · #123 nationally
64.6Value- Earnings
- $63,068
- Net price
- $30,978
- Federal debt
- $26,531
- Graduation rate
- 72%
- Earnings
- $57,739
- Net price
- $23,938
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Graduation rate
- 69%
- Rank in New Jersey 7
Lawrenceville, NJ · Private nonprofit · #142 nationally
61.9Value- Earnings
- $60,178
- Net price
- $24,780
- Federal debt
- $26,500
- Graduation rate
- 62%
Method: the same value score as the national education ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.
Questions about education colleges in New Jersey
What are the best colleges for education in New Jersey?
By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 New Jersey colleges for education are Montclair State University (value score 80.6), Centenary University (value score 74.8) and Kean University-New Jersey (value score 73.2). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.
Which New Jersey college has the highest earnings for education graduates?
Montclair State University: its education graduates have median earnings of $65,007 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
What is the most affordable education college in New Jersey on this list?
Kean University-New Jersey has the lowest average net price of the ranked New Jersey colleges, $14,465 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.
How many New Jersey colleges are ranked for education?
7 New Jersey colleges have a education bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within New Jersey.