Paying for college · New Jersey
What college really costs in New Jersey
Average yearly net price after grants at 131 four-year colleges, lowest first. The figure for families earning under $30,000 shows how far need-based aid goes at each school.
New Jersey state grants
- Tuition Aid Grant (TAG): For 2026-27, up to $3,098 a year at a county college, $9,496 at a state college, $10,964 at a public research university and $14,404 at an independent college for the highest-need students; smaller awards as need falls
- Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG): Covers remaining tuition (up to 18 credits a term) and approved fees after other grants are applied
- Federal Pell Grant: up to $7,395 a year (2026–27)
Working while you study
$15.92/hour minimum wage
rises to $16.48 on 1 January 2027 (most employers; seasonal and small employers have a lower rate).
All four-year colleges in New Jersey
| College | Avg net price | Income under $30k | Graduate | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yeshiva Toras ChaimLakewood · private | $1,391 | — | 17% | — |
| Warren County Community CollegeWashington · public | $2,746 | — | — | $8,875 |
| Pillar CollegeNewark · private | $2,785 | $4,407 | 36% | $20,000 |
| Passaic County Community CollegePaterson · public | $2,835 | $2,019 | — | $7,750 |
| Camden County CollegeBlackwood · public | $2,974 | $1,779 | — | $13,000 |
| Middlesex CollegeEdison · public | $4,122 | $3,298 | — | $10,500 |
| Union County Vocational Technical SchoolScotch Plains · public | $4,640 | — | — | — |
| Raritan Valley Community CollegeBranchburg · public | $4,662 | $3,257 | — | $10,600 |
| Rabbi Jacob Joseph SchoolEdison · private | $4,718 | — | — | — |
| UCNJ Union College of Union County New JerseyCranford · public | $5,248 | $5,488 | — | $11,000 |
| Yeshiva Gedolah Keren HatorahLakewood · private | $5,494 | $5,283 | 85% | — |
| Essex County CollegeNewark · public | $6,242 | $6,162 | — | — |
| Bais Medrash Toras ChesedLakewood · private | $6,306 | — | 59% | — |
| Yeshiva Gedolah of Woodlake VillageLakewood · private | $6,692 | $5,420 | 57% | — |
| Talmudical Academy-New JerseyAdelphia · private | $6,721 | — | 83% | — |
| Hudson County Community CollegeJersey City · public | $6,999 | $6,560 | — | $6,750 |
| Mercer County Community CollegeWest Windsor · public | $7,132 | $5,344 | — | $9,603 |
| Rabbinical Seminary Mkor ChaimLakewood · private | $7,629 | $8,121 | — | — |
| Mosdos Yaakov V'YisroelLakewood · private | $7,666 | $7,248 | 38% | — |
| New Community Career & Technical InstituteNewark · private | $7,721 | — | — | $2,140 |
| Rowan College at Burlington CountyMount Laurel · public | $7,766 | $7,802 | — | $10,500 |
| Princeton UniversityPrinceton · private | $7,815 | — | 97% | $12,400 |
| Yeshiva Gedola Tiferes YerachmielLakewood · private | $8,055 | $6,136 | 89% | — |
| Saint Peter's UniversityJersey City · private | $8,127 | $7,370 | 55% | $16,764 |
| Burlington County Institute of Technology-Adult EducationWestampton · public | $8,254 | — | — | — |
| Beth Medrash of Asbury ParkLakewood · private | $8,724 | $8,354 | 17% | — |
| Yeshiva Gedolah Tiferes BoruchNorth Plainfield · private | $8,787 | $8,693 | — | — |
| Salem Community CollegeCarneys Point · public | $9,093 | — | — | $9,500 |
| Yeshiva Gedolah Zichron LeymaUnion · private | $9,146 | — | 25% | — |
| Yeshiva Gedola Tiferes Yaakov YitzchokLakewood · private | $9,220 | — | 85% | — |
| ASI Career InstituteTurnersville · private | $9,535 | — | — | — |
| Rabbinical College of AmericaMorristown · private | $9,662 | $10,343 | 22% | — |
| Yeshiva Bais AharonLakewood · private | $9,677 | — | — | — |
| Bergen Community CollegeParamus · public | $10,158 | $9,390 | — | $11,000 |
| Ocean County Vocational-Technical SchoolToms River · public | $10,175 | $9,745 | — | $7,900 |
| Felician UniversityLodi · private | $10,378 | $10,568 | 48% | $24,000 |
| Yeshiva Chemdas HatorahLakewood · private | $10,497 | $10,241 | 61% | — |
| Sussex County Community CollegeNewton · public | $10,517 | — | — | $9,250 |
| New Jersey City UniversityJersey City · public | $10,591 | $8,817 | 39% | $17,815 |
| Healthcare Training InstituteUnion · private | $10,748 | — | — | $9,500 |
| Yeshiva Gedolah Shaarei ShmuelLakewood · private | $10,775 | $10,928 | 83% | — |
| County College of MorrisRandolph · public | $10,845 | $8,067 | — | $9,490 |
| Brookdale Community CollegeLincroft · public | $11,178 | $8,941 | — | $12,000 |
| Yeshiva Yesodei HatorahLakewood · private | $11,404 | $12,508 | 14% | — |
| Adult and Continuing Education-BCTSHackensack · public | $11,729 | — | — | — |
| Atlantic Cape Community CollegeMays Landing · public | $11,791 | $11,166 | — | $11,000 |
| Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland CampusVineland · public | $12,974 | $11,585 | — | $11,111 |
| Bais Medrash Mayan HatorahLakewood · private | $13,000 | — | 11% | — |
| Bloomfield College of Montclair State UniversityBloomfield · public | $13,249 | $11,065 | 36% | $19,500 |
| Yeshivas Be'er YitzchokElizabeth · private | $13,395 | $10,227 | 50% | — |
| Center for the Healing ArtsVoorhees · private | $14,129 | $13,842 | — | — |
| Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester CampusSewell · public | $14,281 | $11,492 | — | $11,111 |
| Kean UniversityUnion · public | $14,465 | $8,338 | 48% | $19,500 |
| Mobile Technical TrainingSouth Hackensack · private | $14,996 | — | — | $6,365 |
| Caldwell UniversityCaldwell · private | $15,180 | $12,742 | 57% | $21,500 |
| Montclair State UniversityMontclair · public | $15,193 | $10,117 | 66% | $19,500 |
| Salon Professional AcademyHowell · private | $15,195 | — | — | $6,333 |
| Total Image Beauty AcademyUnion City · private | $15,237 | — | — | $9,500 |
| P B Cosmetology Education CenterGloucester · private | $15,306 | — | — | $7,667 |
| Rutgers University-CamdenCamden · public | $15,732 | $7,480 | 61% | $18,974 |
| American Institute-Toms RiverToms River · private | $15,735 | $15,388 | — | $9,525 |
| Rutgers University-NewarkNewark · public | $16,013 | $8,829 | 65% | $18,974 |
| Advantage Career InstituteEatontown · private | $16,134 | — | — | $6,333 |
| Empire Beauty School-BloomfieldBloomfield · private | $16,169 | $15,708 | — | $11,317 |
| Ramapo College of New JerseyMahwah · public | $16,382 | $8,185 | 68% | $18,750 |
| Parisian Beauty SchoolHackensack · private | $16,826 | — | — | $7,667 |
| Berkeley College-Woodland ParkWoodland Park · private | $16,902 | $14,265 | 44% | $26,000 |
| Rizzieri Aveda School for Beauty and WellnessVoorhees · private | $16,939 | $14,431 | — | $5,500 |
| Empire Beauty School-UnionUnion · private | $17,022 | — | — | $11,317 |
| Robert Fiance Beauty Schools-North PlainfieldNorth Plainfield · private | $17,090 | — | — | $6,333 |
| Ocean County CollegeToms River · public | $17,153 | $15,896 | — | $11,000 |
| American Institute-CliftonCLIFTON · private | $17,190 | — | — | $9,525 |
| Empire Beauty School-Cherry HillCherry Hill · private | $17,640 | — | — | $10,222 |
| Eastern International College-Jersey CityJersey City · private | $17,756 | — | 56% | $35,249 |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan CampusTeaneck · private | $17,923 | $13,218 | 53% | $22,500 |
| Georgian Court UniversityLakewood · private | $18,221 | $5,561 | 63% | $21,487 |
| William Paterson University of New JerseyWayne · public | $18,533 | $14,533 | 44% | $18,423 |
| New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNewark · public | $18,783 | $12,394 | 72% | $20,000 |
| Saint Elizabeth UniversityMorristown · private | $19,010 | $18,861 | 49% | $25,000 |
| Seminary Bnos ChaimLakewood · private | $19,281 | $19,128 | — | — |
| Morris County Vocational School DistrictDenville · public | $19,642 | — | — | — |
| American Institute-Cherry HillCherry Hill · private | $20,447 | $19,091 | — | $9,525 |
| Artistic Academy of Hair DesignMorris Plains · private | $20,989 | — | — | — |
| Fortis Institute-WayneWayne · private | $21,062 | $20,452 | — | $9,500 |
| Eastwick College-NutleyNutley · private | $21,089 | $18,783 | — | $11,985 |
| Fortis Institute-LawrencevilleLawrenceville · private | $21,249 | $20,469 | — | $9,500 |
| American Institute-SomersetSomerset · private | $21,574 | $18,996 | — | $9,525 |
| Innovate Salon AcademyBrick Township · private | $21,605 | — | — | $6,333 |
| Centenary UniversityHackettstown · private | $21,655 | $15,269 | 66% | $19,500 |
| Shore Beauty SchoolEgg Harbor Township · private | $22,252 | $21,328 | — | $7,667 |
| National Career InstituteEast Orange · private | $22,482 | — | — | $6,756 |
| Rowan UniversityGlassboro · public | $23,938 | $16,231 | 69% | $18,000 |
| Stockton UniversityGalloway · public | $24,030 | $18,219 | 68% | $19,500 |
| Hohokus School of Trade and Technical SciencesPaterson · private | $24,034 | — | — | $5,964 |
| MCVSDFreehold · public | $24,226 | — | — | — |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance-TeterboroHasbrouck Heights · private | $24,303 | $23,573 | — | $24,000 |
| P C Age-Jersey CityJersey City · private | $24,581 | $24,117 | — | $13,000 |
| Rider UniversityLawrenceville · private | $24,780 | $15,994 | 62% | $23,797 |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham CampusMadison · private | $24,803 | $15,651 | 71% | $22,500 |
| Rutgers UniversityNew Brunswick · public | $24,897 | $15,090 | 84% | $18,974 |
| Drew UniversityMadison · private | $25,614 | $14,982 | 71% | $21,585 |
| PC AGE-MetroparkIselin · private | $25,637 | — | — | $13,000 |
| Eastwick College-RamseyRamsey · private | $25,809 | $24,779 | 57% | $17,512 |
| Garden State Science and Technology InstituteJersey City · private | $26,230 | $26,264 | — | $9,093 |
| Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics & CosmetologyWayne · private | $26,264 | $24,018 | — | $5,500 |
| Robert Fiance Beauty Schools-West New YorkWest New York · private | $26,681 | — | — | $6,333 |
| The College of New JerseyEwing · public | $26,752 | $12,944 | 85% | $22,036 |
| Universal Technical Institute-BloomfieldBloomfield · private | $27,676 | $26,074 | — | $12,000 |
| Pennco Tech-BlackwoodBlackwood · private | $28,322 | $27,124 | — | $8,750 |
| Holy Name Medical Center-Sister Claire Tynan School of NursingEnglewood Cliffs · private | $28,385 | — | — | $20,000 |
| Innovate Salon AcademySouth Plainfield · private | $28,754 | — | — | $6,333 |
| Pro Beauty AcademyEdison · private | $29,879 | — | — | $6,333 |
| American Institute of Medical Sciences & EducationPiscataway · private | $30,766 | — | — | $9,689 |
| Monmouth UniversityWest Long Branch · private | $30,978 | $18,657 | 72% | $25,500 |
| Eastwick College-HackensackHackensack · private | $31,433 | — | 56% | $16,280 |
| Seton Hall UniversitySouth Orange · private | $31,552 | $22,553 | 70% | $21,500 |
| Prism Career Institute-West Atlantic CityWest Atlantic City · private | $32,422 | — | — | $17,200 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-UnionUnion · private | $32,519 | $31,781 | — | $11,594 |
| Prism Career Institute-Cherry HillCherry Hill · private | $32,598 | $31,539 | — | $17,200 |
| Innovate Salon AcademyEwing · private | $33,010 | — | — | $6,333 |
| Cutting Edge AcademySuccasunna · private | $34,083 | — | — | $7,000 |
| JFK Muhlenberg Harold B. and Dorothy A. Snyder SchoolsPlainfield · private | $36,101 | — | — | — |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-ParamusParamus · private | $36,220 | $36,049 | — | $11,031 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-South PlainfieldSouth Plainfield · private | $36,329 | $35,423 | — | $11,594 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-IselinIselin · private | $37,341 | $36,463 | — | $11,031 |
| Stevens Institute of TechnologyHoboken · private | $37,396 | $28,690 | 89% | $26,117 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-MoorestownMoorestown · private | $38,516 | $38,121 | — | $11,031 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-MahwahMahwah · private | $38,763 | $37,761 | — | $11,594 |
| Chamberlain University-New JerseyNorth Brunswick · private | $42,922 | — | 60% | $19,746 |
| Universal Training InstitutePerth Amboy · private | $43,835 | $43,289 | — | $12,569 |
| Jersey CollegeTeterboro · private | $56,587 | $56,074 | — | $22,334 |
Linked colleges have a full funding guide. More are added every week.
Short of what aid covers?
Students in New Jersey use My Study Fund to collect monthly support from family, friends and mentors, and receive every dollar.
Sources
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; state program pages linked above, checked 2026-10-28. Four-year, campus-based public and private nonprofit colleges with complete net-price data.