New Jersey has some excellent options for both public and private colleges and universities. The state's schools vary widely in size, mission, and personality. Admissions standards also differ greatly and range from some of the country's most selective colleges to others that accept the great majority of applicants. The table below can help you figure out if your ACT scores are on target for admission to your top choice New Jersey colleges. The table shows ACT scores for the middle 50% of matriculated students. If your scores fall within or above these ranges, you're in a good position for admission. If your scores are a little below the bottom number, don't panic -- 25% of enrolled students have scores below those listed.
Be sure to keep the ACT in perspective. It is just one part of your college applications, and a strong academic record with challenging courses will almost always carry more weight. Also, many of the schools below will look at non-numerical information and want to see a winning essay, meaningful extracurricular activities and good letters of recommendation. Factors such as legacy status and demonstrated interest can also make a difference.
Note that the SAT is far more popular than the ACT in New Jersey, and many colleges don't report their ACT scores. To see where you stand, use the ACT to SAT conversion table, and then use the SAT version of the table below.
More ACT Comparison Charts: the Ivy League | top universities | top liberal arts colleges | more top liberal arts | top public universities | top public liberal arts colleges | University of California campuses | Cal State campuses | SUNY campuses | More ACT charts
Most data from the National Center for Educational Statistics
| ACT Scores for New Jersey Colleges (mid 50%) (Learn what these numbers mean) |
||||||
| Composite | English | Math | ||||
| 25% | 75% | 25% | 75% | 25% | 75% | |
| Caldwell College | 17 | 21 | - | - | - | - |
| Centenary College | 17 | 22 | - | - | - | - |
| College of New Jersey | 25 | 30 | - | - | - | - |
| Drew University | 21 | 28 | 21 | 28 | 19 | 26 |
| Fairleigh Dickinson - Florham | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Fairleigh Dickinson - Metropolitan | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Georgian Court University | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kean University | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Monmouth University | 22 | 26 | - | - | - | - |
| Montclair State University | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| NJIT | 22 | 29 | 19 | 27 | 23 | 29 |
| Princeton University | 31 | 35 | 32 | 35 | 30 | 35 |
| Ramapo College | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Richard Stockton College | 19 | 21 | 18 | 21 | 18 | 22 |
| Rider University | 20 | 25 | - | - | - | - |
| Rowan University | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Rutgers University, Camden | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Rutgers University, New Brunswick | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Rutgers University, Newark | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Saint Peter's College | 17 | 22 | - | - | - | - |
| Seton Hall University | 22 | 27 | 21 | 27 | 22 | 26 |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| William Paterson University | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| View the SAT version of this table | ||||||
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