Dartmouth vs. Rutgers

Deciding between Dartmouth College and Rutgers University New Brunswick? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Dartmouth College
Rutgers University New Brunswick

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Dartmouth Hanover, NH
  • Rutgers New Brunswick, NJ
  • Setting
  • Dartmouth Remote Town
  • Rutgers Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Dartmouth 6,938
  • Rutgers 52,269
  • Type
  • Dartmouth Private 4 Year
  • Rutgers Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Dartmouth #12
  • Rutgers #114
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Dartmouth -
  • Rutgers -
  • Status
  • Dartmouth Non-profit
  • Rutgers Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Dartmouth
  • Rutgers

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Dartmouth $68,268
  • Rutgers $17,929
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Dartmouth $68,268
  • Rutgers $37,441
  • Room & Board
  • Dartmouth $19,999
  • Rutgers $15,714
  • Average Net Price
  • Dartmouth $20,322
  • Rutgers $20,522
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Dartmouth $67,471
  • Rutgers $16,742
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Dartmouth 47%
  • Rutgers 50%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Dartmouth 31,656
  • Rutgers 68,614
  • Admitted
  • Dartmouth 1,710
  • Rutgers 39,899
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Dartmouth 5.4%
  • Rutgers 58.1%
  • Enrolled
  • Dartmouth 69.1%
  • Rutgers 20.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Dartmouth 1540
  • Rutgers 1410
  • Typical ACT score
  • Dartmouth 34
  • Rutgers 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • Dartmouth 3.9
  • Rutgers 3.3
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Dartmouth A
  • Rutgers B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Dartmouth Elite
  • Rutgers Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Dartmouth Extreme
  • Rutgers Low
  • ACT Range
  • Dartmouth 33/35
  • Rutgers 28/33
  • SAT Range
  • Dartmouth 1500/1570
  • Rutgers 1310/1500
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Dartmouth Required
  • Rutgers Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Dartmouth Jan 3, 2027
  • Rutgers

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Dartmouth 7:1
  • Rutgers 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Dartmouth
    • Social Sciences (33%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • History (7%)
    • Engineering (7%)
    • Ethnic Studies (7%)
  • Rutgers
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Communication (10%)
    • Psychology (10%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Engineering (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Dartmouth 95%
  • Rutgers 77%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Dartmouth $104,000
  • Rutgers $66,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Dartmouth 87%
  • Rutgers 68%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Dartmouth $13,461
  • Rutgers $22,215
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Dartmouth $139
  • Rutgers $229

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Dartmouth 51%
  • Rutgers 46%
  • % Women
  • Dartmouth 49%
  • Rutgers 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Dartmouth High
  • Rutgers Very High
  • HBCU
  • Dartmouth No
  • Rutgers No
  • % White
  • Dartmouth 49%
  • Rutgers 42%
  • % Asian
  • Dartmouth 15%
  • Rutgers 26%
  • % Black
  • Dartmouth 7%
  • Rutgers 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • Dartmouth 8%
  • Rutgers 13%
  • % Native American
  • Dartmouth 2%
  • Rutgers 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Dartmouth 0%
  • Rutgers 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Dartmouth 5%
  • Rutgers 3%
  • % International
  • Dartmouth 8%
  • Rutgers 7%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Dartmouth 5%
  • Rutgers 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Dartmouth 2%
  • Rutgers 75%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Dartmouth 81%
  • Rutgers 13%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Dartmouth Yes
  • Rutgers Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Dartmouth Yes
  • Rutgers No
  • Meal Plan
  • Dartmouth Yes
  • Rutgers Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Dartmouth No
  • Rutgers Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Dartmouth No
  • Rutgers Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH with Rutgers University New Brunswick in New Brunswick, NJ on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than Dartmouth based on total student enrollment (52,269 students vs. 6,938 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Dartmouth College is located in Hanover, NH (Remote Town setting); Rutgers University New Brunswick is in New Brunswick, NJ (Small City setting).
  • Dartmouth College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Rutgers University New Brunswick is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Dartmouth College 7:1; Rutgers University New Brunswick 16:1.

Dartmouth vs. Rutgers Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Dartmouth or Rutgers? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dartmouth College than Rutgers ($20,322 vs. $20,522).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 21.4% lower than at Dartmouth College ($15,714 vs. $19,999).
  • Dartmouth College is 280.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Rutgers (about $50,339 more per year; $68,268.00 vs. $17,929.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 82.3% higher at Dartmouth than at Rutgers University New Brunswick (about $30,827 more per year; $68,268.00 vs. $37,441.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than at Dartmouth College (50% vs. 47%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Dartmouth College students is 303% larger than aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students ($67,471 vs. $16,742).

Dartmouth vs. Rutgers Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Dartmouth or Rutgers? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Rutgers and Dartmouth.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Dartmouth College (1540) is 130 points higher than at Rutgers (1410).
  • Incoming Dartmouth students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 30 at Rutgers).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Dartmouth College 1500/1570; Rutgers University New Brunswick 1310/1500.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Dartmouth College 33/35; Rutgers University New Brunswick 28/33.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Dartmouth - Required; Rutgers - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Dartmouth Jan 3, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Dartmouth students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Rutgers (3.3).
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than Dartmouth (5.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 69.1% at Dartmouth vs. 20.5% at Rutgers.

Dartmouth vs. Rutgers Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Dartmouth and Rutgers? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Dartmouth College's six-year graduation rate (95%) is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick's (77%).
  • Graduates from Dartmouth College earn a median of about $37,800 more per year than Rutgers graduates about ten years after starting college ($104,000 vs. $66,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Dartmouth College graduates have a $8,754 lower median loan debt than Rutgers graduates ($13,461 vs. $22,215).
  • Among borrowers, Dartmouth graduates have an estimated $90 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Rutgers graduates ($139 vs. $229).
  • More Dartmouth graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 68%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.