29 Best colleges for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in New Jersey

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in New Jersey ranked based on their research performance in Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 9.48M citations received by 251K academic papers made by 29 universities in New Jersey was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Princeton University

Princeton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#22 in the United States

#24 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $15,313

2. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

New Brunswick

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#28 in the United States

#30 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1405
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 69%

3. Berkeley College - Woodland Park

Woodland Park

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#190 in the United States

#218 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $27,815
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $16,909

4. New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#254 in the United States

#287 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1335
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 95%

5. Montclair State University

Montclair

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#275 in the United States

#310 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1060
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $12,341

6. Stevens Institute of Technology

Hoboken

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#295 in the United States

#333 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1443
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $46,165

7. College of New Jersey

Ewing Township

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#312 in the United States

#352 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 81%

8. Seton Hall University

South Orange

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#316 in the United States

#357 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1305
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $33,896

9. Rowan University

Glassboro

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#332 in the United States

#373 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 97%

10. Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus

Teaneck

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#387 in the United States

#435 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Net Price: $16,920
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $33,807

11. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#459 in the United States

#510 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $15,040
Enrollment: 9,942

12. Stockton University

Galloway

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#480 in the United States

#532 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 96%

13. Rider University

Lawrenceville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#481 in the United States

#533 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $26,506

14. Kean University

Union Township

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#483 in the United States

#535 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1040
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $15,048

15. Monmouth University

West Long Branch

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#518 in the United States

#573 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $34,072

16. Drew University

Madison

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#558 in the United States

#613 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1221
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $28,425

17. Princeton Theological Seminary

Princeton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#602 in the United States

#659 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 302
Male:Female: 44:56

18. Ramapo College of New Jersey

Mahwah

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#694 in the United States

#760 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1215
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 85%

19. New Jersey City University

Jersey

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#702 in the United States

#768 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $11,582
Enrollment: 5,429

20. Saint Peter's University

Jersey

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#713 in the United States

#779 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Net Price: $13,775
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $36,685

21. New Brunswick Theological Seminary

New Brunswick

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1135 in the United States

#1213 in North America

Enrollment: 129
Male:Female: 51:49

22. Georgian Court University

Lakewood Township

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1189 in the United States

#1267 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Net Price: $20,457
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $30,208

23. Caldwell University

Caldwell

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1293 in the United States

#1373 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1250
Net Price: $21,875
Receiving Aid: 100%

24. Bloomfield College

Bloomfield

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1360 in the United States

#1442 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Net Price: $18,522
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $14,625

25. Felician University

Lodi

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1368 in the United States

#1450 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $15,569
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $34,668

26. Thomas Edison State University

Trenton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1460 in the United States

#1546 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Enrollment: 7,544
Male:Female: 59:41
Founded: 1972

27. College of Saint Elizabeth

Morristown

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1490 in the United States

#1577 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Net Price: $23,437
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $29,755

28. Centenary University

Hackettstown

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1655 in the United States

#1746 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Net Price: $22,640
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $29,617

29. Pillar College

Newark

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1749 in the United States

#1840 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $8,024
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $29,096

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Delaware	4	97
Maryland	28	8
Connecticut	22	10
District of Columbia	13	48
Pennsylvania	114	9
Rhode Island	9	56
New York	146	6
Massachusetts	75	1
Vermont	12	124
Virginia	42	37
New Hampshire	13	84
West Virginia	20	120
Ohio	67	19
North Carolina	50	20
Maine	16	199
South Carolina	32	68
Kentucky	29	60
Indiana	38	39
Michigan	47	3
Tennessee	39	46
Georgia	52	42
Illinois	79	12
Wisconsin	36	14
Alabama	30	82
Florida	70	31
Missouri	44	40
Iowa	32	44
Mississippi	15	177
Arkansas	18	146
Minnesota	30	18
Louisiana	27	79
Kansas	22	74
Oklahoma	22	103
Nebraska	15	87
South Dakota	12	331
North Dakota	9	216
Texas	89	21
Puerto Rico	15	414
Colorado	24	52
New Mexico	9	100
Montana	9	166
Utah	11	45
Idaho	7	193
Arizona	10	29
Nevada	8	149
Washington	39	5
Oregon	21	96
California	147	2
Alaska	4	233
Hawaii	7	106