Top 50 Best Associate Degree Programs in New Jersey by ROI

Every Associate Degree program in New Jersey ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in New Jersey

183

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$23,412

Across all New Jersey programs

Average Annual Cost

$18,040

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Bergen Community College Grad rate: 24.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$755,533	$82,574	$15,317	$18,750	Full ROI →
2	Thomas Edison State University	Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other.	+$753,908	$80,459	N/A	$11,312	Full ROI →
3	Atlantic Cape Community College Grad rate: 24.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$736,288	$81,758	$15,261	$21,000	Full ROI →
4	Eastwick College-Ramsey Grad rate: 62.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$697,906	$80,284	$33,887	N/A	Full ROI →
5	UCNJ Union College of Union County New Jersey Grad rate: 35.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$659,332	$78,380	$13,752	$30,195	Full ROI →
6	Fortis Institute-Wayne Grad rate: 49.5%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$625,489	$78,339	$28,708	$32,500	Full ROI →
7	County College of Morris Grad rate: 34.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$612,342	$74,080	$14,629	N/A	Full ROI →
8	Hudson County Community College Grad rate: 19.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$610,142	$75,226	$13,014	$21,000	Full ROI →
9	Eastern International College-Jersey City Grad rate: 33.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$609,433	$77,652	$29,693	$32,756	Full ROI →
10	Passaic County Community College Grad rate: 13.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$599,226	$73,433	$14,717	N/A	Full ROI →
11	Essex County College Grad rate: 18.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$595,177	$74,320	$11,821	$20,430	Full ROI →
12	Raritan Valley Community College Grad rate: 33.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$586,856	$73,939	$13,039	$19,145	Full ROI →
13	Camden County College Grad rate: 26.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$584,694	$73,914	$11,538	$22,600	Full ROI →
14	Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland Campus Grad rate: 30.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$575,921	$73,244	$12,920	$17,125	Full ROI →
15	Middlesex College Grad rate: 30.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$574,524	$73,280	$13,721	$17,506	Full ROI →
16	Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester Campus Grad rate: 32.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$573,157	$73,244	$14,302	$17,125	Full ROI →
17	Brookdale Community College Grad rate: 28.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$568,737	$73,281	$15,369	$19,366	Full ROI →
18	UCNJ Union College of Union County New Jersey Grad rate: 35.0%	Engineering, General.	+$514,990	$69,699	$13,752	$8,508	Full ROI →
19	Jersey College Grad rate: 31.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$512,092	$73,296	$31,932	$37,010	Full ROI →
20	Thomas Edison State University	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$504,572	$68,235	N/A	$14,909	Full ROI →
21	Middlesex College Grad rate: 30.2%	Engineering Science.	+$500,678	$68,406	$13,721	N/A	Full ROI →
22	Rowan College at Burlington County Grad rate: 33.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$494,632	$69,376	$11,965	$21,450	Full ROI →
23	Thomas Edison State University	Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Other.	+$470,540	$65,527	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
24	Ocean County College Grad rate: 39.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$468,367	$68,574	$16,424	$22,418	Full ROI →
25	Rutgers University-New Brunswick Grad rate: 84.7%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$451,096	$68,078	$35,232	N/A	Full ROI →
26	Essex County College Grad rate: 18.3%	Engineering, General.	+$421,058	$64,235	$11,821	N/A	Full ROI →
27	Rowan College at Burlington County Grad rate: 33.1%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$388,610	$62,627	$11,965	N/A	Full ROI →
28	Rutgers University-New Brunswick Grad rate: 84.7%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$386,196	$64,833	$35,232	N/A	Full ROI →
29	Bergen Community College Grad rate: 24.5%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$382,026	$63,983	$15,317	$20,000	Full ROI →
30	Brookdale Community College Grad rate: 28.7%	Engineering, General.	+$370,702	$62,072	$15,369	N/A	Full ROI →
31	Middlesex College Grad rate: 30.2%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$366,673	$62,482	$13,721	$11,500	Full ROI →
32	Thomas Edison State University	Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians.	+$356,640	$60,453	N/A	$9,200	Full ROI →
33	Brookdale Community College Grad rate: 28.7%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$333,865	$60,992	$15,369	$11,286	Full ROI →
34	County College of Morris Grad rate: 34.0%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$314,594	$60,035	$14,629	$12,480	Full ROI →
35	Middlesex College Grad rate: 30.2%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$299,910	$59,127	$13,721	$11,250	Full ROI →
36	Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland Campus Grad rate: 30.5%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$293,220	$58,995	$12,920	$15,437	Full ROI →
37	Bergen Community College Grad rate: 24.5%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$292,510	$59,668	$15,317	$22,382	Full ROI →
38	Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester Campus Grad rate: 32.3%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$290,456	$58,995	$14,302	$15,437	Full ROI →
39	Camden County College Grad rate: 26.2%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$281,604	$57,234	$11,538	N/A	Full ROI →
40	Essex County College Grad rate: 18.3%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	+$278,819	$58,819	$11,821	$25,125	Full ROI →
41	UCNJ Union College of Union County New Jersey Grad rate: 35.0%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$273,936	$58,608	$13,752	$22,755	Full ROI →
42	Strayer University-New Jersey	Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management.	+$266,245	$57,214	N/A	$28,174	Full ROI →
43	Thomas Edison State University	Military Technologies and Applied Sciences, Other.	+$265,415	$55,777	N/A	$7,500	Full ROI →
44	UCNJ Union College of Union County New Jersey Grad rate: 35.0%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	+$262,876	$58,274	$13,752	$26,000	Full ROI →
45	Middlesex College Grad rate: 30.2%	Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General.	+$258,145	$56,735	$13,721	$6,750	Full ROI →
46	Middlesex College Grad rate: 30.2%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$238,138	$55,279	$13,721	N/A	Full ROI →
47	Eastern International College-Jersey City Grad rate: 33.3%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$235,541	$58,822	$29,693	$30,750	Full ROI →
48	Rowan College at Burlington County Grad rate: 33.1%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$211,310	$53,762	$11,965	N/A	Full ROI →
49	Brookdale Community College Grad rate: 28.7%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$172,332	$53,769	$15,369	$23,933	Full ROI →
50	Rutgers University-New Brunswick Grad rate: 84.7%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	+$145,758	$54,043	$35,232	$18,250	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.