Best colleges for nursing in New Jersey
Saint Peter's University ranks first in New Jersey for nursing value (#33 nationally, value score 81.2): graduates earn $100,199 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $8,127 a year.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 18 New Jersey colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026
Best nursing colleges in New Jersey
Saint Peter's University ranks first in New Jersey for nursing value (#33 nationally, value score 81.2): graduates earn $100,199 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $8,127 a year. 18 New Jersey colleges qualify. At the median one, nursing graduates earn $100,764 and the average net price is $18,152 a year.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025
What the data shows
Key findings
- 18 New Jersey colleges qualify. At the median one, nursing graduates earn $100,764 and the average net price is $18,152 a year.
- The highest nursing earnings in the state are at Saint Elizabeth University ($109,286), ranked #12 in the state once cost, debt and graduation rate count.
- Median earnings
- $100,764
- National: $85,171
- Median net price
- $18,152
- National: $18,014
- Median federal debt
- $23,961
- nursing graduates
- Public colleges
- 10 of 18
- in this list
18 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.
- Rank in New Jersey 1
Jersey City, NJ · Private nonprofit · #33 nationally
81.2Value- Earnings
- $100,199
- Net price
- $8,127
- Federal debt
- $18,750
- Graduation rate
- 55%
- Earnings
- $102,386
- Net price
- $10,591
- Federal debt
- $12,500
- Graduation rate
- 39%
- Earnings
- $109,167
- Net price
- $15,193
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Graduation rate
- 66%
- Earnings
- $103,534
- Net price
- $16,382
- Federal debt
- $22,508
- Graduation rate
- 68%
- Earnings
- $109,098
- Net price
- $10,378
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Graduation rate
- 48%
- Earnings
- $96,821
- Net price
- $14,465
- Federal debt
- $13,596
- Graduation rate
- 48%
- Earnings
- $103,559
- Net price
- $15,180
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Graduation rate
- 57%
- Earnings
- $99,155
- Net price
- $15,732
- Federal debt
- $23,961
- Graduation rate
- 61%
- Rank in New Jersey 9
William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ · Public · #93 nationally
69.2Value- Earnings
- $101,328
- Net price
- $18,533
- Federal debt
- $12,780
- Graduation rate
- 44%
- Earnings
- $97,116
- Net price
- $23,938
- Federal debt
- $15,063
- Graduation rate
- 69%
- Earnings
- $104,369
- Net price
- $26,752
- Federal debt
- $24,250
- Graduation rate
- 85%
- Rank in New Jersey 12
Morristown, NJ · Private nonprofit · #130 nationally
65.9Value- Earnings
- $109,286
- Net price
- $19,010
- Federal debt
- $24,250
- Graduation rate
- 49%
- Rank in New Jersey 13
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus
Teaneck, NJ · Private nonprofit · #141 nationally
65.1Value- Earnings
- $98,585
- Net price
- $17,923
- Federal debt
- $23,000
- Graduation rate
- 53%
- Rank in New Jersey 14
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
New Brunswick, NJ · Public · #153 nationally
64.1Value- Earnings
- $99,155
- Net price
- $24,897
- Federal debt
- $23,961
- Graduation rate
- 84%
- Rank in New Jersey 15
Lakewood, NJ · Private nonprofit · #162 nationally
63.6Value- Earnings
- $96,213
- Net price
- $18,380
- Federal debt
- $24,625
- Graduation rate
- 63%
- Rank in New Jersey 16
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus
Madison, NJ · Private nonprofit · #171 nationally
62.8Value- Earnings
- $98,585
- Net price
- $24,803
- Federal debt
- $23,000
- Graduation rate
- 71%
- Earnings
- $97,739
- Net price
- $24,030
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Graduation rate
- 68%
- Rank in New Jersey 18
West Long Branch, NJ · Private nonprofit · #221 nationally
58.3Value- Earnings
- $103,184
- Net price
- $30,978
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Graduation rate
- 72%
Method: the same value score as the national nursing 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 nursing colleges in New Jersey
What are the best colleges for nursing in New Jersey?
By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 New Jersey colleges for nursing are Saint Peter's University (value score 81.2), New Jersey City University (value score 77.9) and Montclair State University (value score 76.3). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.
Which New Jersey college has the highest earnings for nursing graduates?
Saint Elizabeth University: its nursing graduates have median earnings of $109,286 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
What is the most affordable nursing college in New Jersey on this list?
Saint Peter's University has the lowest average net price of the ranked New Jersey colleges, $8,127 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.
How many New Jersey colleges are ranked for nursing?
18 New Jersey colleges have a nursing 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.