Rutgers vs. NYU

Deciding between Rutgers University New Brunswick and New York University? 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.

Rutgers University New Brunswick
New York University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Rutgers New Brunswick, NJ
  • NYU New York, NY
  • Setting
  • Rutgers Small City
  • NYU Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Rutgers 52,269
  • NYU 56,832
  • Type
  • Rutgers Public 4 Year
  • NYU Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Rutgers #114
  • NYU #43
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Rutgers -
  • NYU -
  • Status
  • Rutgers Non-profit
  • NYU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Rutgers
  • NYU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Rutgers $17,929
  • NYU $62,796
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Rutgers $37,441
  • NYU $62,796
  • Room & Board
  • Rutgers $15,714
  • NYU $23,530
  • Average Net Price
  • Rutgers $20,522
  • NYU $30,325
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Rutgers $16,742
  • NYU $53,901
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Rutgers 50%
  • NYU 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Rutgers 68,614
  • NYU 110,807
  • Admitted
  • Rutgers 39,899
  • NYU 10,232
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Rutgers 58.1%
  • NYU 9.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Rutgers 20.5%
  • NYU 55.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Rutgers 1410
  • NYU 1520
  • Typical ACT score
  • Rutgers 30
  • NYU 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • Rutgers 3.3
  • NYU 3.79
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Rutgers B+
  • NYU A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Rutgers Exceptional
  • NYU Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Rutgers Low
  • NYU Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Rutgers 28/33
  • NYU 34/35
  • SAT Range
  • Rutgers 1310/1500
  • NYU 1480/1560
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Rutgers Test optional
  • NYU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Rutgers
  • NYU

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Rutgers 16:1
  • NYU 8:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Rutgers
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Communication (10%)
    • Psychology (10%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Engineering (8%)
  • NYU
    • Business (19%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
    • Social Sciences (14%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
    • Communication (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Rutgers 77%
  • NYU 86%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Rutgers $66,200
  • NYU $76,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Rutgers 68%
  • NYU 77%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Rutgers $22,215
  • NYU $23,250
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Rutgers $229
  • NYU $240

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Rutgers 46%
  • NYU 42%
  • % Women
  • Rutgers 54%
  • NYU 58%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Rutgers Very High
  • NYU Very High
  • HBCU
  • Rutgers No
  • NYU No
  • % White
  • Rutgers 42%
  • NYU 34%
  • % Asian
  • Rutgers 26%
  • NYU 20%
  • % Black
  • Rutgers 7%
  • NYU 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • Rutgers 13%
  • NYU 12%
  • % Native American
  • Rutgers 0%
  • NYU 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Rutgers 0%
  • NYU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Rutgers 3%
  • NYU 4%
  • % International
  • Rutgers 7%
  • NYU 17%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Rutgers 2%
  • NYU 8%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Rutgers 75%
  • NYU 26%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Rutgers 13%
  • NYU 49%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Rutgers University New Brunswick in New Brunswick, NJ with New York University in New York, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

New York University is larger than Rutgers based on total student enrollment (56,832 students vs. 52,269 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is located in New Brunswick, NJ (Small City setting); New York University is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. New York University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Rutgers University New Brunswick 16:1; New York University 8:1.

Rutgers vs. NYU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or NYU? 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 Rutgers University New Brunswick than NYU ($20,522 vs. $30,325).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 33.2% lower than at New York University ($15,714 vs. $23,530).
  • New York University is 250.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Rutgers (about $44,867 more per year; $62,796.00 vs. $17,929.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 67.7% higher at NYU than at Rutgers University New Brunswick (about $25,355 more per year; $62,796.00 vs. $37,441.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than at New York University (50% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by New York University students is 222% larger than aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students ($53,901 vs. $16,742).

Rutgers vs. NYU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Rutgers or NYU? 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 NYU and Rutgers.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at New York University (1520) is 110 points higher than at Rutgers (1410).
  • Incoming NYU 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: Rutgers University New Brunswick 1310/1500; New York University 1480/1560.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Rutgers University New Brunswick 28/33; New York University 34/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Rutgers - Test optional; NYU - Test optional.
  • Accepted freshman NYU students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Rutgers (3.3).
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than NYU (9.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.5% at Rutgers vs. 55.4% at NYU.

Rutgers vs. NYU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Rutgers and NYU? 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).

  • New York University's six-year graduation rate (86%) is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick's (77%).
  • Graduates from New York University earn a median of about $9,800 more per year than Rutgers graduates about ten years after starting college ($76,000 vs. $66,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Rutgers University New Brunswick graduates have a $1,035 lower median loan debt than NYU graduates ($22,215 vs. $23,250).
  • Among borrowers, Rutgers graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NYU graduates ($229 vs. $240).
  • More NYU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (77% 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.