NJIT Earns National Distinction for 'Best Value' From Niche

Economic mobility was a new factor in Niche ranking New Jersey Institute of Technology No. 45 among all U.S. institutions for “Best Value,” reaffirming the university’s return on investment to its students and alumni. NJIT earned the No. 1 spot for “Best Value” among New Jersey public institutions.

Niche, a college ranking and review platform, evaluated 4,048 public and private four-year colleges nationwide and developed separate lists for the best academics, value, food, dorms and college life.

NJIT also received national accolades for its academic programs, earning “Best College” notoriety for Information Technology (No. 7), Computer Science (No. 45), and Engineering (No. 100). Crossing state boundaries, NJIT earned honors in the New York City region, where it claimed the No. 4 spot among "Best Value Colleges" and No. 12 in the "Best Colleges" category.

“Being continually recognized for NJIT’s high value is an incredible achievement,” said NJIT President Teik C. Lim. Niche’s rankings follow similar sentiments from The Princeton Review and Money. “These accolades speak directly to our mission and the social mobility that NJIT provides to its students. Their success is our most important outcome.”

NJIT ranked in the top 100 for IT, Computer Science and Engineering

Adding the economic mobility index was among significant methodology changes to refine the Best Value Colleges ranking, highlighting the colleges whose students are able to improve their economic status after graduation. This index reflects data on the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants, the net price of tuition for students from low-income households and the median earnings of those students six years after entry. NJIT jumped 56 places in the "Best Value" ranking compared to last year.

“Students and their families want to know they’ll see a return on their investment before committing to a college education,” said Luke Skurman, founder and CEO of Niche. “Our new Economic Mobility Index, along with transparent net tuition price data on all college profiles, helps students consider the real cost of attending, as well as their potential future earnings after graduation.”

In addition to introducing the economic mobility index, Niche updated its methodology to reflect the shift away from standardized testing. Test-optional admissions emerged in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, though colleges are continuing the trend. All SAT/ACT-related factors have been removed from Niche’s 2024 college rankings. First-year students applying to NJIT are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores. This does not apply to Albert Dorman Honors College or accelerated program applicants.