University of Delaware (UD) is a public, research university located in Newark, Delaware, with a suburban campus. It is a mid-sized university with approximately 18,812 undergraduate students (fall 2023) and overall enrollment of approximately 24,221. Admissions at the university are moderately competitive, with an acceptance rate of around 65.1%. The most sought-after majors are Business, Health Professions, Engineering, Social Sciences, and Biological Sciences. The six-year graduation rate is approximately 82%, with UD graduates having a median salary of around US$72,950 ten years after enrollment based on federal outcome data.
Rutgers University - New Brunswick is a public research university located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, with campuses such as College Avenue, Douglass, etc., in an urban/suburban environment. It is a big school with some 36,000 or a bit more than 36,000 undergraduate students (depending on the year) and overall enrollment larger when counting graduate students. Admissions are moderately competitive, with recent acceptance rate approximately 65-68%. Major fields of study include Business, Engineering, Health Professions, Biological Sciences, and Psychology. Six-year graduation rate is around 84%, and Rutgers graduates have a median income of approximately US$66,200 ten years after matriculation.
| University of Delaware | Rutgers University - New Jersey | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 4.7 Out of 10 | 5.3 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 401 Times Higher Education 2026 # 553 QS World University 2026 # 324 Center for World University Rankings 2025 | # 301 Times Higher Education 2026 # 328 QS World University 2026 # 301 Times Higher Education 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 37 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 701 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 101 for Law by Academy Ranking of World Universities 2021 | # 72 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 301 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 351 for Law by QS World University 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -117 PG Programs -66 | UG Programs -146 PG Programs -99 Doctorate Programs -10 |
| Acceptance Rate | 65.1 % | 65.0 % |
| Exam Score | IELTS-6.5 SAT-1130 TOEFL-100 | IELTS-6 SAT-1190 TOEFL-85 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 49552 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 21538 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 26164 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 14506 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 15072 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 33851 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | 97% of the bachelors degree students get employed or pursue higher education after graduation. The average salary is around $57,386. Some of the top employers inlcude: JPMorgan Chase & Co., ChristianaCare, University of Delaware, KPMG, EY. | 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 English language 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-Schools | NA | Rutgers Business School |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.8/10 Read 7 reviews | 8.5/10 Read 6 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 401 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 scores | Duolingo - 110/160IELTS - 7.5/9TOEFL - 100/120 | Duolingo - 125/160IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 68/75TOEFL - 90/120 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Jun 1, 2025 (Application Deadline for Fall 2025 Intake) Nov 1, 2025 (Application Deadline for Spring 2026 Intake) | May 15, 2025 (Application Deadline For ROUND 4 2025 intake) Nov 15, 2025 (Application Deadline For ROUND 1 2026 intake) Jan 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For ROUND 2 2026 intake) Mar 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For ROUND 3 2026 intake) May 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For ROUND 4 2026 intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | University of Delaware | Rutgers University - New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1743 | 1766 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 13:1 |
| Male:Female | 43% Male, 57% Female | 50% Male, 50% Female |
| Location Facts | The university campus is divided into four parts: main campus, Laird campus, South campus and Delaware technology park. | 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 libraries that people use at the University of Delaware include the Morris Library, Chemistry Library, Physics Library, and the Education Resource Center. | 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 | Your experience as a Blue Hen is influenced by many factors, especially the connections you make with those around you and the fun times you have together. Both Residence Life & Housing and University Student Centers can help you build a strong, positive community. Caring for your wellbeing and those around you is important. Whether it is your health, wellness, or connection to your community, the student wellbeing units help you define your journey and pursue lifelong thriving. The university has more than 400 student clubs and organizations. The tools you need to be successful during and after your time as a Blue Hen can be found at the university. Orientation & Transition Programs sets you up with everything you need to know as a new and returning university student, while the Career Center propels you towards your future by providing services such as resume review and a database for finding volunteer, internship, and job opportunities. | 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 - $12332 #Off campus (not with family) - $12332 #Off campus (with family) - $1500 | #On campus - $12452 #Off campus (not with family) - $18386 #Off campus (with family) - $3013 |
| Famous Alumni | Joe Biden, 46th President of the United States Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States Richard F. Heck, Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate Lodewijk van den Berg, astronaut Larry Probst, CEO of Electronic Arts | 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 | Newark, DE is located in New Castle County and provides its residents with access to nearby Wilmington attractions plus several unique destinations of its own including the Newark Reservoir. The climate in Newark is quite comfortable for most of the year. The city experiences all four seasons, including very warm temperatures in the summer (June, July, August) and mildly cold temperatures in the winter (January, February). Newark is very close to some of the most interesting cities in the U.S. By car (driving distance), Newark is only: 45 minutes from Philadelphia | 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 |
University of Delaware vs Rutgers University - New Brunswick
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
Both Rutgers and UD are highly regarded public research universities, but Rutgers generally ranks higher in the world and nationally. UD has excellent programs in Engineering, Biological Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Education, and solid graduate/undergraduate research in speciality niches. Rutgers has subject strength in a wider range of fields including Engineering, Social Sciences, Health Sciences, and high research productivity in a wide range of disciplines. Global ranking authorities put Rutgers ahead of UD in most of the rankings (both nationally and internationally).
General Information
Rutgers - New Brunswick, with ~ 36,000 undergraduate students and numerous graduate programs, is much bigger than UD's ~ 18,800 undergrads. UD has more than 150 undergraduate majors and minors, and 165 bachelor's programs plus extensive graduate offerings. Rutgers features an extensive portfolio with numerous undergraduate, graduate, and professional offerings at its various campuses. UD's Newark campus is suburban, moderately dense; Rutgers' campuses are more scattered and situated within urban/suburban environments, with higher diversity in student body and resources.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
The admissions at the two universities are moderately competitive. UD's acceptance rate is ~ 65.1%, and Rutgers' recent rates are in the mid-60s (~ 65-68%). Regular admitted students at Rutgers generally have slightly higher SAT/ACT ranges; e.g., middle 50% SAT scores for Rutgers' admitted first-year freshmen are around 1240-1470. UD's admitted student test score ranges are slightly lower, but still robust. Both schools have test-optional policies. UD's freshman-to-sophomore retention rate is high (~ 90%), as would be expected with good student support.
Research Impact & Facilities
Both universities are ranked as R1 research universities or high research activity institutions. Rutgers is larger in research infrastructure: extensive research centers, huge funding, wide graduate programs. UD also has impressive research in Engineering, Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, and specialty centers (e.g. Center for Composite Materials) and land-grant / sea-grant / space-grant status. Rutgers' size in research output and facilities is larger, which typically makes it stronger overall in resources, collaboration, and infrastructure.
Cost & Financial Aid
UD's resident and nonresident tuition and fees, plus room and board, are in the middle; net price after aid is lower for most in-state students. A high percentage of UD undergraduates get grant or scholarship aid. Rutgers' tuition is slightly higher, particularly for nonresidents, but Rutgers provides generous aid and many students receive grants or scholarships. Net price after aid is competitive, particularly for in-state students.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
UD graduates have a six-year graduation rate of roughly 82% and good longer-term earnings (median ~ US$72,950 ten years after matriculation). Rutgers has a six-year graduation rate of roughly 84%. Rutgers graduates ten years post-baccalaureate have median earnings of approximately US$66,200. Rutgers' larger network of alumni, better links to core metropolitan employment markets (e.g. NYC, Philadelphia) provide advantages in internships, job placements, and research experience. Both institutions offer strong student employment and graduate school continuation.
