Binghamton University vs Rutgers University - New Brunswick

Binghamton University vs Rutgers University - New Brunswick

The State University of New York at Binghamton is a public research university with Binghamton, Vestal, and Johnson City, New York campuses. It is a mid-sized institution with 14,688 undergraduate students. Admissions are very competitive as the acceptance rate at Binghamton is 39%. Some of the popular majors are Economics, Biology, and Psychology. Binghamton graduates 73% of its students, who earn a median starting salary of $72,438.


Rutgers University, properly Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It is a big school with 49,800 undergraduate students enrolled. Admission is somewhat competitive since the Rutgers acceptance rate is 79% among campuses. Rutgers alumni graduate 84% of students, which pursue a median starting salary of $70,000 for the Class of 2024.

Overview Comparison
Binghamton UniversityRutgers University - New Jersey
Collegedunia Score5 Out of 105.3 Out of 10
ranking (overall)# 601 Times Higher Education 2026
# 1001 QS World University 2026
# 713 Center for World University Rankings 2025
# 301 Times Higher Education 2026
# 328 QS World University 2026
# 301 Times Higher Education 2025
Subject Strength# 117 for Engineering by US News 2025
# 601 for Medicine by Times Higher Education 2023
# 72 for Engineering by US News 2025
# 301 for Medicine by QS World University 2025
# 351 for Law by QS World University 2025
ProgramsUG Programs -50
PG Programs -32
Doctorate Programs -4
UG Programs -146
PG Programs -99
Doctorate Programs -10
Acceptance Rate37.7 %65.0 %
Exam ScoreIELTS-6.5
SAT-1290
TOEFL-80
IELTS-6
SAT-1190
TOEFL-85
Cost to StudyAverage Tuition Fees   24660
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  23100
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 31349 Per Year
Average Tuition Fees   14506
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  15072
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 33851 Per Year
placement (average package)

84% of the graduates seeking employment get employed within six months of graduation. The average salary is around $64,385. Top employers include: Amazon, BNY Mellon, Goldman Sachs, IBM, KPMG, JP MorganChase &Co., Deloitte etc


Average annual salary is 72,000 USD. Popular recruiters are Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin Corp, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Highest paying degrees include MBA (145,000 USD); Masters (120,000 USD); Bachelor of Science (101,000 USD); Master of Science (100,000 USD).


application requirements

Submit official transcripts

Submit official test scores

Submit English language proficiency

Check program specific requirements

Academic transcripts; LORs; Essays; Test Scores; English proficiency scores; Resume.GPA requirements are around 3.73 for students (Grade- A-B+). 

Campuses and B-SchoolsNARutgers Business School
CollegeDunia Reviews7.9/10 Read 16 reviews8.5/10 Read 6 reviews

Top Courses Comparison

Top Courses Comparison

ranking# 87 for Business by US News 2025
# 501 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025
# 53 for Business by US News 2025
# 251 for Business by QS World University 2025
# 401 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025
exam scoresDuolingo - 115/160IELTS - 7/9PTE - 65/90TOEFL - 96/120Duolingo - 115/160IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 53/75TOEFL - 79/120
cost to studyTotal Cost (Tuition + Living) -56888Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -24048
documents required#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose
application datesDec 1, 2025 (Rolling Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake)
Mar 1, 2026 (Rolling Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake)
May 15, 2024 (Application Deadline For 2024 Intake)
General Facts Comparison
General FactsBinghamton UniversityRutgers University - New Jersey
Type of UniversityUniversity
University
Established1946
1766
Student:Faculty Ratio19:1
13:1
Male:Female51% Male, 49% Female50% Male, 50% Female
Location Facts

The main campus in Vestal is spread over 930 acres on a wooded hillside above the Susquehanna River; geographically, the Southern Tier of New York is located on Allegheny Plateau, a physiographic province of the Appalachian Mountains. Binghamton's nearly 15-acre new Health Sciences Campus is located in Johnson City, NY. The University Downtown Center (UDC), located near the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers, opened in 2007 and houses the College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA). 


Oldest of the 3 RU campuses spread across 6 municipalities in Middlesex County; located in New Brunswick and Piscataway; Consists of 2,685 acres of 5 campuses- Busch, Cook, College Avenue, Livingston, Douglass. Located on both sides of Raritan River; offers convenient access to New York City and Philadelphia


Library

The Glenn G. Bartle Library contains collections in the humanities, social sciences, government documents and collections in mathematical and computer sciences. Additionally, Bartle Library houses the Fine Arts Collection and Special Collections.The Science Library contains materials in all science and engineering disciplines, as well as a map collection. The University Downtown Center (UDC) Library and Information Commons supports the departments of social work, human development, public administration, and student affairs administration.


Rutgers University Libraries (RUL) system has 26 libraries, centers and reading rooms housing 5,579,900 total print and electronic volumes. 2,648,964 In-Person Visits; 3,273,398 Online Visits; 159,368 Print Circulations; 10 million+ Circulation of Online Resources; 3,111,380 Ebook Downloads; 111,781 Video Streams.


Campus Life

 The Student Union houses many student organizations, a food co-op, The Marketplace food court, a number of meeting spaces, many new classrooms, the University Bookstore and a branch of Visions Federal Credit Union. The Events Center is one of the area's largest venue for athletics, concerts, fairs and more. Home court to the Binghamton Bearcats basketball teams, the facility seats about 5,300 people for games. For concerts, Commencement and other larger events, the Events Center can hold up to 8,000 people. In addition to the Events Center, the north end of campus houses the East and West Gyms, which host student recreation and varsity athletics programs. Residence halls at Binghamton are grouped into seven communities. The apartment communities used to house graduate students, but now house undergraduates. Bus transportation on campus and in local neighborhoods with a high density of students is provided by the student-owned and operated Off Campus College Transport (OCCT). OCCT is entirely student run and is free for all students. Student organizations at Binghamton are organized and run through the Student Association at Binghamton University. The Student Association provides a number of services and entertainment for students, including bus transportation and the annual Spring Fling festival. Binghamton University's Intercollegiate Athletics program is an NCAA Division I program. The Intercollegiate Athletics program comprises 21 sports that compete in the America East Conference for all sports except wrestling and golf. 


6 student centers, and 4 recreation centers; second-largest bus fleet in New Jersey; SHI Stadium; Louis Bow Athletic Center; Rutgers Ecological Preserve; Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum; RU Geology Museum; Rutgers Garden. You can indulge in a total of 750 student organizations and 100+ intramural teams and sports clubs. 4 student dining halls are available on-campus. 


Hostel#On campus - $14577
#Off campus (not with family) - $14577
#Off campus (with family) - $2195
#On campus - $12452
#Off campus (not with family) - $18386
#Off campus (with family) - $3013
Famous Alumni

Robyn Adele Anderson, founding member and primary vocalist for Postmodern Jukebox
Morteza Aghatehrani, Iranian politician, cleric, scholar, mujtahid
Peter Altabef, CEO of Unisys
Billy Baldwin, actor
David P. Barash, evolutionary biologist, Professor of Psychology at University of Washington and author of over 30 books
Andrew Bergman, screenwriter, author and director


Over 500,000 alumni worldwide. Louis J. Freeh (Former Director FBI); Keith Sonnier (Artist); Betty Shannon (Mathematician); Gus Edwards (American Footballer); Charles Henry Selick (American Director); Duron Harmon (American Football safety); Selman Abraham Waksman (Inventor- discovered streptomycin)


City Life

While Binghamton may not be the biggest city, it has a great college atmosphere, and more than just students can attest to that. Binghamton was rated among the top 20 college towns in the U.S. by The American Institute for Economic Research and Business Insider, and was named one of the top 30 small college towns with a great quality of life by Best Choice Schools.Binghamton has a vaiety of unique restaurants and bars, making it a foodie’s dream. Twice a year the restaurants even team up during Restaurant Week to offer fixed price, three-course meals, with proceeds going to charity.  Downtown Binghamton is home to several restaurants, shops and academic buildings, making it the perfect place for students to study and relax. The area is also full of venues for students who are 21 and over, including pubs, breweries, dance clubs and hookah lounges. State Street is perfect for those who love the nightlife experience, and it's easily accessible by bus. New businesses are constantly sprouting up and flourishing in Binghamton. START-UP NY and the University’s Small Business Development Center help people start their own companies. The Small Business Development Center has helped clients raise $210 million in private and public funding and has helped create 11,000 jobs.


New Brunswick is the county seat of Middlesex County situated along the Raritan River; Johnson and Johnson’s worldwide headquarter is located here; Economy is majorly dependant on forestry, mining and finishing; Other major industries are tourism, agriculture, and small-scale manufacturing industries; Unemployment rate was 2.5% in April 2019


Weather
Comparison Notes

Comparison between Rutgers University and Binghamton University

Subject Strength

Computer science, business, and biology are the subjects in which Rutgers University and Binghamton University have strength. Binghamton's School of Management ranked #94 best undergraduate business programs -- U.S. News and World Report, 2025, whereas its computer science program ranked #94 according to U.S. News & World Report Graduate School Rankings (2025), is strong due to personalized attention. Rutgers' School of Arts and Sciences and its engineering schools are higher ranked (Rutgers ECE is #14 in the US per US News and World Report). 

General Information

Binghamton University, chartered in 1946, is a public R1 university in the SUNY system, approximately 18,148 total enrollment, with roughly 14,409 undergraduates and 4,047 graduate students (2023–24), on a 930-acre Vestal campus. Rutgers University, founded in 1766, is a public R1 land-grant university with 79% acceptance rate on campuses, mostly in New Brunswick. Binghamton has a close-knit community, whereas Rutgers' size and several campuses offer a wider range of programs and facilities.

Acceptance Rate

Binghamton has an acceptance rate of 39% for Fall 2024, much lower than Rutgers' 79%, in New Brunswick, Newark, and Camden, which makes Binghamton more selective. 
Application fees are $50 for Binghamton and $70 for Rutgers. International students might prefer Rutgers' higher acceptance rate, but Binghamton's test-optional policy is helpful for different types of applicants.

Location Facts

Binghamton's Vestal campus has a suburban environment near the beautiful Susquehanna River and outdoor activities in Upstate New York. Rutgers' New Brunswick campuses have both urban and suburban locations, with ease of access to New York City and Philadelphia for professional networking. While both have lively student life, Rutgers' access to an urban city provides greater internship experience, whereas Binghamton's peaceful environment allows for concentration on studies.

Hostel Fees

Binghamton's on-campus housing fees are $19,477/year, while off-campus housing runs $800-$1,200/month. Rutgers' housing fees range is ~$15,332/year, due to New Jersey's living expenses being more than the rest of the country. Both are public schools and thus are funded by the state.

Career Outcomes & Alumni Success

Binghamton alumni receive a median starting salary of $73,800, with high placements in consulting and finance, especially in Big Four. Rutgers alumni receive a median of $70,000, with high recruitment in pharmaceuticals and tech, thanks to the proximity of industry centers. Binghamton has 85.8% of graduates working within six months, whereas Rutgers has 84% of graduates working within six months.

Infrastructure

Binghamton's Bartle Library contains more than 2.5 million books, including contemporary facilities such as the Innovative Technologies Complex for STEM research. Rutgers' library system, totaling 5 million volumes on its campuses, has the Alexander Library and cutting-edge research facilities such as the Waksman Institute. Rutgers' greater campus infrastructure facilitates cross-disciplinary research, whereas Binghamton's small campus provides convenient, state-of-the-art facilities.