Rutgers vs. City College of New York

Should I go to Rutgers University New Brunswick or CUNY City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Rutgers or City College of New York is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Rutgers University New Brunswick vs. CUNY City College comparison
Rutgers University New Brunswick CUNY City College College 3 College 4
Rutgers University New Brunswick CUNY City College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Rutgers City College of New York
Location New Brunswick, NJ New York, NY
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 50,617 15,012
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #113 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rutgers.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Rutgers City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $13,674 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $32,436 $14,880
Room & Board $14,715 $18,104
Avg Net Price $19,052 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $16,249 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 86%

Admission

Rutgers City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 43,347 31,988
Admitted 28,326 18,576
Acceptance Rate 65.3% 58.1%
Enrolled % 27.1% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.2
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/33
SAT Range 1270/1480 1220/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Rutgers City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

Rutgers City College of New York
Graduation Rate 77% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,200 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,215 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $229 $117

Diversity

Rutgers City College of New York
% Men 10% 7%
% Women 18% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 15%
% Black 7% 16%
% Hispanic 13% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 7% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Rutgers City College of New York
% In-State 84% 87%
% Out-of-State 8% 0%

Campus

Rutgers City College of New York
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than City College of New York based on total student enrollment (50,617 students vs. 15,012 students)

Rutgers vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or City College of New York?

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is 97.3% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($13,674.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 118% higher at Rutgers than CUNY City College ($32,436.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than Rutgers ($4,599 vs. $19,052)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 23% lower than costs at CUNY City College ($14,715 vs. $18,104)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than Rutgers University New Brunswick (86% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students is 75.9% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($16,249 vs. $9,236)

Rutgers vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Rutgers or City College of New York? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between City College of New York or Rutgers .

  • The average SAT score at Rutgers University New Brunswick (1225) is 100 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman Rutgers students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (65.3%) than City College of New York (58.1%)

Rutgers vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rutgers or City College of New York? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between City College of New York and Rutgers.

  • The graduation rate at Rutgers is higher than CUNY City College (77% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn on average $16,400 more per year than City College of New York graduates after ten years. ($66,200 vs. $49,800)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $10,815 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($11,400 vs. $22,215)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $112 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($117 vs. $229)
  • More Rutgers graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/