Rowan University vs Rutgers University - New Brunswick

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Rowan University is a public institution in Glassboro, New Jersey. Admissions are relatively open, with Rowan's acceptance rate at about 77-78%. It is a medium-sized university with approximately 19,660 students total (undergraduate + graduate). Of the most prominent programs at Rowan are Business, Education, Engineering, Health Professions, Psychology, and Criminal Justice. The graduation rate after six years is around 68%, and the graduates' median early career salary is around USD 56,100 (INR ~ 44,50,000) a decade after starting.

Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a public research institution in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Admissions are moderately competitive, with Rutgers' acceptance rate being 65-66%. It is a very large university with approximately 36,300 undergraduate students. The most sought-after programs at Rutgers are in Engineering, Business, Biological Sciences, Social Sciences, and Computer Science. Its six-year graduation rate stands at around 82-85%, and alumni have median early-career salaries of around USD 69,700-74,500 (INR ~ 55-60,00,000) ten years after graduation.

Overview Comparison
Rowan UniversityRutgers University - New Jersey
Collegedunia Score4.2 Out of 105.3 Out of 10
ranking (overall)# 1200 Times Higher Education 2026
# 1001 Times Higher Education 2025
# 1384 Center for World University Rankings 2025
# 301 Times Higher Education 2026
# 328 QS World University 2026
# 301 Times Higher Education 2025
Subject Strength# 136 for Engineering by US News 2025
# 115 for Medicine by US News 2024
# 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 -53
PG Programs -26
UG Programs -146
PG Programs -99
Doctorate Programs -10
Acceptance Rate77.8 %65.0 %
Exam ScoreIELTS-6
SAT-1050
TOEFL-70
IELTS-6
SAT-1190
TOEFL-85
Cost to StudyAverage Tuition Fees   21367
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  21000
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 27942 Per Year
Average Tuition Fees   14506
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  15072
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 33851 Per Year
placement (average package)

Some of the programs and the average salary are as follows:

Bachelor of Science: $60,000

Bachelor of Arts: $56,000 


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 and copy of degree

Submit English language proficiency scores

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 Reviews7.6/10 Read 4 reviews8.5/10 Read 6 reviews

Top Courses Comparison

Top Courses Comparison

ranking# 25 for Engineering by Collegedunia.com 2025
# 136 for Engineering by US News 2025
# 1001 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025
# 185 for Biology by QS World University 2025
# 201 for Biology by Times Higher Education 2023
exam scoresDuolingo - 120/160IELTS - 6/9PTE - 50/90TOEFL - 70/120Duolingo - 115/160IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 53/75TOEFL - 79/120
cost to studyTotal Cost (Tuition + Living) -21000Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -15072
application datesOct 28, 2024 (Application Deadline For Spring 2025 Intake)
Apr 29, 2025 (Application Deadline For Fall 2025 Intake)
Dec 1, 2023 (Application Deadline For 2024 Intake)
General Facts Comparison
General FactsRowan UniversityRutgers University - New Jersey
Type of UniversityUniversity
University
Established1922
1766
Student:Faculty Ratio17:1
13:1
Male:Female54% Male, 46% Female50% Male, 50% Female
Location Facts

Rowan University is a public research university in Glassboro, New Jersey, with a medical campus in Stratford and medical and academic campuses in Camden.


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 Campbell Library is home to nearly 350,000 print volumes, along with nearly 400 scholarly databases, 900,000 e-books, and 16 streaming video platforms. Housed at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, the CMSRU Library is comprised mainly of electronic books, journals, databases and related-specialty collections. Located in the Academic Center on the Stratford campus, the Health Sciences Library serves Rowan-Virtua SOM and GSBS students and faculty, other students and staff of Rowan University.


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

Rowan provides housing for over 6,500 students in 13 University owned housing complexes and 5 affiliated housing units.Students have a choice between halls, apartments, or townhouses. The Chamberlain Student Center is the main location for dining on campus. Dining options include the Owl's Nest restaurant, Peet's Coffee, Grill Nation, Jersey Mike's Subs, Freshens, Sono, Crust, Chef Jet, Smoked, Breakfast & Co., Bowl Life, Pop Up, and the Marketplace convenience store. The Student Center is also home to the Student Government Association, Conference and Event Services, the Greek Affairs Office, Student Activities, the Mailroom, and the Information Desk. There are more than 100 clubs and organizations at Rowan University; along with more than 30 Greek organizations on campus. Rowan University has 18 sports teams (8 men's and 10 women's).The football, field hockey, and track & field teams compete at John Page Memorial Field at Coach Richard Wackar Stadium. 


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#Off campus (not with family) - $12025
#On campus - $12236
#Off campus (with family) - $3681
#On campus - $12452
#Off campus (not with family) - $18386
#Off campus (with family) - $3013
Famous Alumni

Nick Comoroto, professional wrestler
Jim Cook Jr, journalist and playwright
Scott DePace, TV director, The Howard Stern Show
Steve Dildarian, creator of the HBO animated series The Life & Times of Tim
Lince Dorado, professional wrestler.
Ric Edelman, financial planner and radio host


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

Glassboro, NJ is an attractive town southeast of Camden home to numerous wonderful sights including Rowan University Arboretum displaying tranquil grounds and gardens or Chestnut Branch Park ideal for picnicking; they organize vibrant events like Glassboro Craft Beer & Music Festival each June. The total population of the small town is around 20k and with a median income of $21,453. The cost of living is on a bit higher side with the median rent being $1,242. 


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

Rowan University vs Rutgers University – New Brunswick

Subject Strength & World Rankings (2025/2026)

Rowan University, in Glassboro, New Jersey, is especially known for Engineering, Business, Education, and Health Professions. It does not appear in QS or THE global rankings but is recognized regionally as a strong applied-research university.
Rutgers University – New Brunswick, the flagship of New Jersey’s state system, excels in Engineering, Business, Pharmacy, Life Sciences, and Computer Science. It is globally ranked #264 in QS World University Rankings 2026 and #201 in THE World University Rankings 2025, giving it a far stronger international reputation compared to Rowan.

General Information

Rowan, founded in 1923, has around 19,000 students and has grown significantly in the past three decades, particularly after the $100 million gift in the 1990s that expanded its engineering programs.
Rutgers–New Brunswick, established in 1766, is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU) with about 50,000 students, offering a comprehensive range of programs and world-class research facilities.

Acceptance Rate & Admission

Rowan has an acceptance rate of about 83%, admitting students with average GPAs of 3.4 and SAT scores between 1080–1280.
Rutgers–New Brunswick is more selective, with an acceptance rate of around 66%, admitting students with average GPAs of 3.7 and SAT scores between 1230–1470. Admission is considerably more competitive at Rutgers, especially in STEM and business programs.

Research Impact & Facilities

Rowan is classified as an R2 research university, with strengths in applied sciences, engineering, and biomedical research, supported by partnerships with industries across New Jersey.
Rutgers–New Brunswick is an R1 research powerhouse, with leading centers in medicine, pharmacy, data science, and public policy. It has strong NIH, NSF, and industry funding, making it one of the top research universities in the U.S.

Cost & Financial Aid

Rowan’s tuition is about $14,000 per year for in-state and $24,000 for out-of-state students.
Rutgers–New Brunswick tuition is slightly higher at $16,300 per year for in-state and $34,000 for out-of-state students. Both provide merit and need-based aid, but Rowan is more affordable overall, while Rutgers offers broader scholarship and research funding opportunities.

Graduate Studies & Alumni Outcomes

Rowan alumni often work in engineering, education, healthcare, and business, with average mid-career salaries around $85,000 (INR 70 lakh).
Rutgers–New Brunswick alumni are highly visible in business, government, healthcare, and technology, with average mid-career salaries of about $100,000 (INR 82 lakh). Rowan’s alumni base is strongest in New Jersey industries, while Rutgers’ alumni network is national and global, with strong presence in the NYC metro area.