New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is one of the nation’s best colleges for students seeking a superb education with great career preparation and at an affordable price, according to The Princeton Review.
The education services company profiles NJIT in the recently published 2020 edition of its annual guide, The Best Value Colleges. In order to make the list, institutions must demonstrate a stellar academic program and affordability, and offer strong opportunities for career prospects after graduation. A return on an academic investment is a highly sought-after quality.
“An NJIT degree provides a pathway to career success, and that speaks to the value of the education received by our students,” said NJIT President Joel S. Bloom. “NJIT is ranked No. 1 nationally by Forbes for the upward mobility of students from the lowest income brackets. Our students have an average of approximately three job offers in hand during their senior year and attain starting salaries almost 20% above their peers across the country. And we are ranked among the top 2% out of more than 4,000 colleges and universities for alumni mid-career earnings.”
The Princeton Review staff crunched more than 40 data points to select the 200 schools for the book and tally its ranking lists from its survey of administrators at 656 colleges. Topics covered everything from academics, cost and financial aid to graduation rates, student debt, alumni salaries and job satisfaction.
“The schools we chose as our Best Value Colleges for 2020 comprise only 7% of the nation’s four-year colleges,” noted Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief. “They are truly distinctive and diverse in their programs, size, region, and type, yet they are similar in three areas. Every school we selected offers outstanding academics, generous financial aid and/or relative low cost of attendance, and stellar career services. We recommend them highly to college applicants and parents seeking schools that are academically top-notch and committed to making their programs affordable. These colleges are also standouts at guiding their students to rewarding futures.”
The guide describes how “…Career Development Services arranges biannual job fairs that draw hundreds of employers and recruiters to campus, while also providing résumé open houses, practice interviews, and career preparation workshops.”
Students describe their peers at NJIT as “friendly,” “smart,” “motivated,” and “nerdy”—a term of endearment used to represent a shared passion for tech and science. The students also commented on the diversity of their peers, noting “from all races, religions, and walks of life.” The university attracts “hard working students dedicated to achieving their personal, academic, and professional goals,” yet the campus community handles the competitive environment in a supportive way.
This announcement demonstrates the continued upward trajectory of NJIT, and emphasizes the high-quality and high-value education that NJIT provides. In the past year, NJIT has joined the ranks of the nation’s elite and most productive institutions with its elevation as an R1 research university, jumped 83 spots in a Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education rankings, ranks in the top 2% nationwide in mid-career salary, and is now a top 100 university according to U.S. News and World Report.
