Camden, NJpubliccamden.rutgers.edu
Admit rate has ranged 76%–79% over the last 5 years. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Rutgers University-Camden is a scrappy, urban public university that punches above its weight, offering intimate classes and career-focused programs just across the river from Philadelphia. With a 66% acceptance rate and a student body representing 36 states and 39 nations, it blends accessibility with surprising diversity. Its standout nursing and business programs anchor a curriculum that gets two-thirds of graduates into jobs or grad school—all at a net price that undercuts many regional peers.
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
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Outcomes & value
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Rutgers-Camden is a moderately selective public university with a 66% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants., placing it in the top 28% of more competitive U.S. institutions. Admitted students typically have a 3.47 GPA and middle-50% SAT scores between 1060-1260 (ERW: 530-630, Math: 530-630) or ACT scores of 18-24. The university emphasizes Holistic admissionsA review that weighs the whole applicant — grades, essays, activities, and context — rather than relying on test scores and GPA alone., with 97% of fall 2023 freshmen coming from the top half of their high school class. Notably, 17% of undergraduates are First-generation (first-gen)A student who would be the first in their immediate family to earn a four-year college degree. Many colleges consider this in context. college students, reflecting the school's commitment to accessibility.
Rutgers-Camden offers 38 undergraduate majors and 29 graduate programs through its College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, and School of Nursing. The most popular majors are nursing (256 graduates annually), business (207), and psychology (88), with strong programs in biology, criminal justice, and health professions. Unique offerings include an accelerated BA/MBA in Biology and Art History with Museum Studies tracks. The 14:1 student-faculty ratio supports small class sizes, particularly in upper-division courses, though introductory lectures can be larger.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Only 17% of students live on campus, creating a commuter-heavy vibe, but the Campus Center buzzes with activity—housing dining options, club meetings, and wellness resources. Over 100 student organizations span interests from anime to pre-law, with cultural groups like the Black Student Union particularly active. The urban Camden location provides easy access to Philadelphia's internships and entertainment, though some students note the surrounding area requires situational awareness. Division III athletics (Scarlet Raptors) draw modest crowds, with basketball and baseball being fan favorites.
Within six months of graduation, 97% of 2022 alumni were employed or in graduate school (46% full-time jobs, 28% continuing education). The 66% six-year graduation rate outperforms many regional publics, with a 72% rate for non-Pell Grant recipients. Median earnings one year post-graduation are $36,427, though nursing and business majors typically exceed this. Washington Monthly ranked Rutgers-Camden among its 25 Best-in-Class Colleges for social mobility and community impact, with particular strength in placing graduates into public service roles.
The average Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. after aid is $18,735—significantly below the $22,601 sticker price—with 72% of undergraduates receiving grants or scholarships. In-state tuition and fees run about $16,000 annually, while out-of-state students pay roughly $32,000. The university awards $91M annually in first-year aid, with typical packages including $16,865 in grants/work-study. Notably, 55% of students graduate with debt (average $26,500), slightly below the national average for public universities.
Rutgers-Camden shines as an urban anchor institution that delivers Rutgers' prestige at a community college price. Its nursing program feeds directly into Philadelphia's hospital networks, while the business school's Philly adjacency enables rare internship access for a non-elite university. The campus' organic diversity—39 countries represented, with no single racial majority—creates a distinctly global vibe. For commuters seeking career-focused academics with big-city connections (and the patience to navigate Camden's challenges), it's a pragmatic powerhouse.