There are 159 colleges in New Jersey - 40 public and 119 private schools. At New Jersey colleges, rising college costs are evident in the Cost of Attendance (COA), which combines tuition, fees, textbooks, room and board, and personal living expenses; this figure has grown significantly in the last decade.
New Jersey Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at New Jersey colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by 13.24%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 22.26%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $42,422 when living on campus and $47,815 when living off campus.
New Jersey Colleges Tuition & Fees Changes
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type |
10-Year Increase (2016-2025) |
2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
| Public, In-State |
26.46% (from $13,018 to $16,462) |
$16,462 |
| Public, Out-of-State |
19.02% (from $22,948 to $27,313) |
$27,313 |
| Private Colleges |
-2.22% (from $24,147 to $23,612) |
$23,612 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 19.02%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by 12.64% over the same period.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At New Jersey colleges, living costs increased by 5.99% for on-campus and 30.16% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $14,251 (on-campus) and $19,644 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (-19.66%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $858.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 13.24% when living on campus and 22.26% when living off campus at New Jersey Colleges.
In private New Jersey Colleges, the COA has increase by 0.16% (on-campus) and 9.45% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $42,422 when a student lives on campus and $47,815 when living off campus at New Jersey Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for New Jersey Colleges over the past 10 years.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of New Jersey Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$27,531 | $37,461 | $38,660 | $29,178 | $39,108 | $40,307 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$27,885
1.29% | $37,951
1.31% | $39,119
1.19% | $30,055
3.01% | $40,121
2.59% | $41,289
2.44% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$28,020
0.48% | $38,257
0.81% | $38,513
-1.55% | $30,653
1.99% | $40,890
1.92% | $41,146
-0.35% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$27,571
-1.60% | $38,004
-0.66% | $36,123
-6.21% | $31,247
1.94% | $41,680
1.93% | $39,799
-3.27% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$27,808
0.86% | $38,457
1.19% | $35,685
-1.21% | $32,452
3.86% | $43,101
3.41% | $40,329
1.33% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$27,726
-0.29% | $38,473
0.04% | $35,476
-0.59% | $32,445
-0.02% | $43,192
0.21% | $40,195
-0.33% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$28,680
3.44% | $39,620
2.98% | $36,004
1.49% | $33,483
3.20% | $44,423
2.85% | $40,807
1.52% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$28,788
0.38% | $40,125
1.27% | $36,271
0.74% | $34,613
3.37% | $45,950
3.44% | $42,096
3.16% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$30,931
7.44% | $42,196
5.16% | $38,480
6.09% | $37,622
8.69% | $48,887
6.39% | $45,171
7.30% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$31,571
2.07% | $42,422
0.54% | $38,721
0.63% | $36,964
-1.75% | $47,815
-2.19% | $44,114
-2.34% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for New Jersey Colleges is $19,050 for New Jersey residents and $29,901 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $24,524.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $21,374 for New Jersey residents and $26,617 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $23,755.
The tuition & fees has increased 19.02% for undergraduate programs and 12.64% for graduate programs at New Jersey Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for New Jersey Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$13,018 | $22,948 | $24,147 | $15,817 | $21,970 | $19,299 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$13,275
1.97% | $23,341
1.71% | $24,509
1.50% | $16,055
1.50% | $22,271
1.37% | $19,867
2.94% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$13,587
2.35% | $23,824
2.07% | $24,080
-1.75% | $16,376
2.00% | $22,740
2.11% | $20,536
3.37% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$13,867
2.06% | $24,300
2.00% | $22,419
-6.90% | $16,720
2.10% | $23,200
2.02% | $20,567
0.15% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$14,195
2.37% | $24,844
2.24% | $22,072
-1.55% | $17,015
1.76% | $23,658
1.97% | $20,698
0.64% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$14,135
-0.42% | $24,882
0.15% | $21,885
-0.85% | $17,344
1.93% | $23,420
-1.01% | $20,105
-2.87% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$14,895
5.38% | $25,835
3.83% | $22,219
1.53% | $17,609
1.53% | $23,365
-0.23% | $20,469
1.81% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$14,793
-0.68% | $26,130
1.14% | $22,276
0.26% | $19,123
8.60% | $23,895
2.27% | $22,370
9.29% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$15,367
3.88% | $26,632
1.92% | $22,916
2.87% | $19,940
4.27% | $25,037
4.78% | $22,641
1.21% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$16,462
7.13% | $27,313
2.56% | $23,612
3.04% | $19,503
-2.19% | $24,746
-1.16% | $22,791
0.66% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $858 for New Jersey Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for New Jersey Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,068 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $1,068 |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $1,043
-2.34% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $943
-9.59% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $904
-4.14% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $859
-4.98% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $870
1.28% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $852
-2.07% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $908
6.57% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $858
-5.51% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For New Jersey Colleges, the living have increased -1.28% when a student lives on campus facilities and 16.96% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
Living Costs Changes for New Jersey Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $13,445 | $14,272 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $13,542
-1.43% | $14,323
3.68% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $13,390
-2.12% | $14,140
2.33% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $12,761
-7.42% | $13,588
1.75% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $12,709
-1.92% | $13,435
7.24% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $12,732
0.93% | $13,573
0.35% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $12,915
0.76% | $13,868
0.33% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $13,143
1.77% | $14,448
6.31% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $14,656
4.95% | $16,398
6.41% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $14,251
3.25% | $15,791
-5.14% |
|---|