Ramapo College of New Jersey has received high marks from Business First in its 2020 rankings of the country’s best public colleges.

Ramapo was ranked #64, following Rutgers-New Brunswick and The College of New Jersey among the top 100. Criteria for inclusion considered 22 factors, including admission rates and test scores, retention and graduation rates, institutional spending, costs, average earnings after graduation, racial diversity and gender balance.

“Ramapo College provides a rigorous curriculum that is focused on student success. While our students are with us, we invest in them through faculty mentoring, professional internship placements, student wellness, and leadership development programs, all to ensure that, as alumni, they continue to succeed throughout their careers and personal lives,” said President Peter P. Mercer.

Business First included 425 colleges and universities on its list. To be considered, colleges had to have more than 1,000 full-time students, and more than half of the degrees granted during the most recent academic year were bachelor’s degree level or higher.

The study’s objective was to identify the public universities and colleges that offer the best educational experiences to their students. The highest marks went to schools with highly selective admissions processes, strong retention and graduation rates, impressive earnings by alumni, generous resources, affordable tuitions and housing costs, diverse faculties and student bodies, and economically robust communities.

###

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The College is ranked #1 among New Jersey public institutions by College Choice, and is recognized as a top college by U.S. News & World Report, Kiplinger’s, Princeton Review and Money magazine, among others. Ramapo College is also distinguished as a Career Development College of Distinction by CollegesofDistinction.com, boasts the best campus housing in New Jersey on Niche.com, and is designated a “Military Friendly College” in Victoria Media’s Guide to Military Friendly Schools.

Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Business Administration, Data Science, Educational Technology, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education.