Rutgers University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Rutgers University, a public university in New Jersey, reports a 58% acceptance rate and sits in the moderately selective band. In practice that means it admits more applicants than it rejects, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.
Use this page to see what Rutgers University weighs, where it ranks among New Jersey schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1410, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
Rutgers University application deadlines, 2026-27
What do students study at Rutgers University?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into Rutgers University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Rutgers University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Rutgers University?
Your odds at Rutgers University are not the same as its 58% acceptance rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Rutgers University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Rutgers University hard to get into?
Rutgers University is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 58% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Rutgers University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Rutgers University, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. Rutgers University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Rutgers University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Rutgers University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at Rutgers University with a 3.5 GPA and a 1410 SAT?
About 91% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.5 unweighted GPA and a 1410 SAT, the middle of Rutgers University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.8 GPA with a 1500 SAT comes out near 97%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/rutgers-university.
How to get into Rutgers University
Built from Rutgers University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
There is no formula that guarantees a spot at Rutgers University, but the applicants who get in tend to do the same four things. Here is what the numbers say each one looks like.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Rutgers University carries about a 3.36 core GPA and a 1450 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1310 to 1500 SAT (28 to 33 ACT). Submit a score at 1405 or higher; below 1310, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Rutgers University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by Rutgers University's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at newbrunswick.rutgers.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to Rutgers University, and how many get in?
Rutgers University admitted 28,326 of the 43,347 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 65.3%. 7,681 enrolled. Only about 27% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Rutgers University enrolls about 37,751 undergraduates in total, 50% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 16 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Rutgers University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Rutgers University scored between 1310 and 1500 on the SAT (average 1410). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 28 to 33. A score above 1500 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1310 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Rutgers University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Rutgers University looks for
What Rutgers University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
The factors that carry the most weight at Rutgers University are rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Rutgers University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Rutgers University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Rutgers University cost after financial aid?
Rutgers University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $36,993 per year. Tuition and fees are $17,929 for NJ residents and $37,441 for out-of-state students, a $19,512 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $24,406 a year, and it ranges from $16,343 for families earning under $30,000 to $35,016 for families earning over $110,000. 28% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do Rutgers University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Rutgers University student who received federal aid earns $74,479 a year, up from $61,263 at six years. 84% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 93% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $21,500; 35% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Rutgers University compares in New Jersey
Rutgers University ranks #3 most selective of 20 schools in New Jersey in our database.
Among the 20 New Jersey schools we track, Rutgers University ranks #3 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Princeton University (5%) and Stevens Institute of Technology (48%) sit nearby, which makes New Jersey a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to Rutgers University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Applicants targeting Rutgers University often weigh Alabama A&M University, University of Pittsburgh, and Brooklyn College, which sit at a similar level. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is Rutgers University's acceptance rate?
Rutgers University admitted 28,326 of 43,347 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 65.3% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 27% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Rutgers University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1310 to 1500 on the SAT and 28 to 33 on the ACT. A score above 1500 is in the top quarter of admits. Rutgers University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Rutgers University test-optional?
Yes. Rutgers University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Rutgers University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Rutgers University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $24,406 a year against a sticker price of about $36,993. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $16,343 on average.
What do Rutgers University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Rutgers University are $74,479 a year among students who received federal aid, and 84% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Rutgers University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Rutgers University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Rutgers University favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, Rutgers University generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at Rutgers University?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Rutgers University specifically.
What are the admission requirements for Rutgers University?
Rutgers University reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.