Rutgers University advanced significantly in the U.S. News & World Report college rankings, with Rutgers-New Brunswick ranked as the #15 top public university in the nation this year and all three of the university’s locations in Newark, Camden and New Brunswick among the top 100 national universities for the first time in the ranking’s 40-year history.

In addition to Rutgers-New Brunswick’s rank as one of the top 15 public universities – its highest ranking ever in that category – it was also ranked at 40th among all national universities, public and private, for the first time, moving up 15 places in the rankings from #55 last year.

Rutgers-Newark (#40, up from #53 last year) and Rutgers-Camden (#49, up from #61 last year) ranked among the top 50 public universities. Rutgers-Newark and Rutgers-Camden are also respectively ranked #82 and #98 among the nearly 1,500 national universities scored this year (up from #115 and #127 last year).

“This is exciting news for all of us across Rutgers, because it signals that in complementing our longstanding academic excellence, the work we are doing to make a Rutgers education more accessible while strengthening support for our remarkable, diverse students is being reflected in increasingly strong rankings,” said President Jonathan Holloway. 

Rutgers also rose among top performers nationally for social mobility, which assesses how well schools enroll and graduate economically disadvantaged students. Rutgers-Newark ranks #21 for social mobility and Rutgers-Camden is #35. Rutgers-New Brunswick ranks #42 for social mobility.

Pell graduation rates – the percentage of students receiving Pell grants who graduate within six years – are figured into social mobility rankings and all three Rutgers locations rank in the top 25 for Pell graduation rates: Rutgers-Newark at #7, Rutgers-Camden at #25 and Rutgers-New Brunswick at #21.

Among the 14 Big Ten Conference universities, Rutgers-New Brunswick ranked 4th in the public universities ranking.

Rutgers continues to be among the best colleges for veterans, with Rutgers-New Brunswick #22, up from #27 last year; Rutgers-Newark #50, up from #71; and Rutgers-Camden #65, up from #83. U.S. News ranks institutions that award federal financial aid benefits specific to veterans and active service members and enroll a sizeable number of veterans.

The 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings were calculated using 19 key measures of academic quality for national universities. More than half of a school's rank is now comprised of varying outcome measures related to schools' success at enrolling, retaining and graduating students from different backgrounds with manageable debt and post-graduate success.

Among new specialized rankings this year is a ranking of most innovative schools. College presidents, provosts and admissions deans were asked to name up to 15 schools they think are making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities. Rutgers-New Brunswick ranks #34 for innovative schools among national universities.

“Today’s good news is a strong signal that we are focused on what is most important at Rutgers,” said Holloway, who has made access to academic excellence, community, public service and strengthening the common good central to his tenure as president. “More work lies ahead as we continue to pursue academic excellence and reach Rutgers’ full potential in serving its vital mission within and beyond New Jersey.”