U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 Best Colleges rankings today, and The College of New Jersey is once again ranked as the top public institution in the “Best Regional Universities — North” category.
TCNJ has held the top spot in its region among public colleges every year since 1991.
Other highlights from the rankings:
- TCNJ boasts a 96% six-year graduation rate, the highest in the region.
- TCNJ was named the #1 college in the region for veterans.
- TCNJ ranked #1 in New Jersey and #6 overall in the North for Most Innovative Schools.
- TCNJ earned the top spot in the state for Undergraduate Teaching Programs and Undergraduate Engineering Programs (non-doctorate).
Explore the complete U.S. News & World Report rankings and methodologies.
The U.S. News & World Report rankings add to a growing list of accolades for the college.
The Princeton Review recognized TCNJ as one of the most academically outstanding colleges in the Northeast for 2026 — a designation shared with Princeton, Yale, and Dartmouth. It also named TCNJ one of the best 391 colleges in the nation for 2026, based on student evaluations.
Additionally, Forbes included TCNJ on its list of America’s Top Colleges 2026, ranking it the #3 public college in New Jersey.