Rutgers University–Newark is one of three regional campuses of
Rutgers University
Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...
, a
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
land-grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate—land or its use privileges—made by a government or other authority as an incentive, means of enabling works, or as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service. Grants ...
research university
A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are "the key sites of Knowledge production modes, knowledge production", along with "intergenerational ...
consisting of four campuses in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. It is located in
Newark. Rutgers, founded in 1766 in
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...
, is the
eighth oldest college in the United States and a member of the
Association of American Universities
The Association of American Universities (AAU) is an organization of predominantly American research universities devoted to maintaining a strong system of academic research and education. Founded in 1900, it consists of 69 public and private ...
. In 1945, the state legislature voted to make Rutgers University, then a private
liberal arts college
A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on Undergraduate education, undergraduate study in the Liberal arts education, liberal arts of humanities and science. Such colleges aim to impart ...
, into the state university and the following year merged the school with the former
University of Newark (1936–1946), which became the Rutgers–Newark campus. Rutgers also incorporated the College of South Jersey and South Jersey Law School, in Camden, as a constituent campus of the university and renamed it
Rutgers–Camden in 1950.
Rutgers–Newark offers undergraduate (bachelors) and graduate (masters, doctoral) programs to more than 12,000 students. It is
classified
Classified may refer to:
General
*Classified information, material that a government body deems to be sensitive
*Classified advertising or "classifieds"
Music
*Classified (rapper) (born 1977), Canadian rapper
* The Classified, a 1980s American ro ...
among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". It also offers
cross-registration
Cross-registration in United States higher education is a system allowing students at one university, college, or faculty within a university to take individual courses for credit
Credit (from Latin verb ''credit'', meaning "one believes") ...
with the
New Jersey Institute of Technology
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is a Public university, public research university in Newark, New Jersey, United States, with a graduate-degree-granting satellite campus in Jersey City. Founded in 1881 with the support of local indust ...
(NJIT) which borders its campus. The campus is located on 38 acres in Newark's
University Heights section. The university host seven degree-granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, including the School of Public Affairs and Administration,
Rutgers Business School (which has another campus in New Brunswick) and
Rutgers Law School
Rutgers Law School is the law school of Rutgers University, with classrooms in Newark and Camden, New Jersey. It is the largest public law school and the 10th largest law school, overall, in the United States. Each class in the three-year J.D. pr ...
(which has another campus in Camden), and several research institutes, including the
Institute of Jazz Studies. According to ''U.S. News & World Report'', Rutgers–Newark is the most
diverse national university in the United States.
History
The roots of Rutgers–Newark date back to 1908 when the New Jersey Law School first opened its doors. That law school, along with four other educational institutions in Newark—Dana College (founded in 1927), Newark Institute of Arts and Sciences (founded in 1909),
Seth Boyden School of Business (founded 1929), and Mercer Beasley School of Law (founded 1926)—would form a series of alliances over the following four three decades, resulting in a final merger as the University of Newark in 1936.
In 1946, a decade later, the University of Newark was absorbed into
Rutgers University
Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...
after a vote by the New Jersey State Legislature, thus transforming into Rutgers–Newark.
Organization and governance
Leadership
As a constituent unit of
Rutgers University
Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...
, ultimate authority for Rutgers–Newark rests with the
central administration
Central administration is the leading or presiding body over an organization and the highest administrative department which oversees all lower departments.
Education
In most cases, a school or school district will have a leading group of people ...
of the university, including its president and governing boards.
However, the campus has its own chief executive (
Nancy Cantor). Up until 2008, the chief executive was known as the provost, but then-president
Richard L. McCormick changed the title of the chief executive to chancellor.
Constituent colleges and professional schools
Rutgers–Newark is located on a campus of 38 acres in Newark's
University Heights neighborhood. This neighborhood is within blocks of the commercial center of the city and located near mass transit (bus, rail, and light rail stations). The campus consists of seven degree-granting undergraduate, graduate and professional schools, including: Newark College of Arts and Sciences, University College, School of Criminal Justice, Graduate School-Newark, School of Public Affairs and Administration, Rutgers Business School-Newark and New Brunswick, and Rutgers Law School (Newark campus).
The Newark College of Arts and Sciences (NCAS) enrolls more than 60 percent of the undergraduates at Rutgers University in Newark and is the largest school on campus. With majors in almost 40 fields offering BA, BS, and BFA degrees.
University College–Newark offers undergraduate programs that cater to non-traditional or part-time adult students who have obligations during the day and attend class in the evening or on Saturday.
Rutgers–Newark offers MA, MS, MFA, and Ph.D. degrees.
The
School of Public Affairs and Administration offers masters and doctoral degrees in public administration (MPA, Ph.D.).
Founded in 1929, Rutgers Business School–Newark and New Brunswick offers undergraduate and graduate business programs on the Newark and New Brunswick campuses. Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, Rutgers Business School awards B.S., Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) (including international executive and executive MBAs), and doctoral degrees in management.
The School of Criminal Justice is a national and international center for scholarly research on all aspects of policing, delinquency, crime, and criminal justice administration. The school also provides educational programs that fulfill public service obligations by helping to address the needs of criminal justice agencies within the city, state, nation, and world.
The
Rutgers Law School
Rutgers Law School is the law school of Rutgers University, with classrooms in Newark and Camden, New Jersey. It is the largest public law school and the 10th largest law school, overall, in the United States. Each class in the three-year J.D. pr ...
(Newark campus) is the oldest law school in New Jersey.
Academics and research
Rankings
, Rutgers–Newark enrolls more than 12,000 students (more than 7,500 undergraduate, more than 3,500 graduate). Rutgers–Newark awards approximately 80 doctoral degrees, 250 ''juris doctor'' degrees, 1,050 master's degrees, and 1,500 baccalaureate degrees each year and was ranked 12th in the nation for quality among small research universities by the 2005 Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index.
Faculty
There are more than 500 full-time faculty members at Rutgers–Newark, 99 percent of whom hold doctor of philosophy or juris doctor degrees. Faculty on the Newark campus include or have included Pulitzer Prize recipients and members of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the New York Academy of Medicine Fellow. A number of Rutgers–Newark faculty members have been awarded the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship and named as Fulbright Fellows. Other faculty honors include the National Book Award, Japan's Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, the Grete Lundbeck European Brain Research Foundation Award ("The Brain Prize"), the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.
Research
Select centers and institutes at Rutgers–Newark:
*
Institute of Jazz Studies – founded 1952
* National Center for Public Performance – founded 1972
* New Jersey Small Business Development Center – founded 1977
* Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience – founded 1985
* Center for Information Management, Integration and Connectivity – founded 1995
* Division of Global Affairs – founded 1996
* Clement A. Price Institute on Ethnicity, Culture, and the Modern Experience – founded 1998
* Joseph C. Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies – founded 2000
* Institute on Education Law and Policy – founded 2000
* Institute for Ethical Leadership – founded 2004
* Center for Urban Entrepreneurship & Economic Development – founded 2008
* Newark Schools Research Collaborative – founded 2009
* Center on Law, Inequality and Metropolitan Equity – founded 2011
Libraries
*
John Cotton Dana Library (including the
Institute of Jazz Studies)
* Rutgers Law Library – Newark
*
Don M. Gottfredson Library of Criminal Justice
* Rutgers University – Newark Archives
Galleries
* Paul Robeson Galleries
Artist in residence
The Paul Robeson Galleries (PRG) has an Artist in Residence (AiR) program open to visual artists who live or work within a 10-mile radius of Newark. It is a six months residency with a private studio located at Express Newark (EN), part of Rutgers University – Newark (it is in the former Hahne Department Store). There is an exhibition at the end of the residency at the Robeson Campus Center Gallery.
Community engagement
In 2006, the university applied for
classification
Classification is the activity of assigning objects to some pre-existing classes or categories. This is distinct from the task of establishing the classes themselves (for example through cluster analysis). Examples include diagnostic tests, identif ...
as a "community engaged" university. Specifically, Rutgers–Newark was classified in the Outreach and Partnerships category, recognizing the university for its ability to apply and provide collaboratively institutional resources that benefit both campus and community.
Student life

Diversity
''U.S. News & World Report'' "Best Colleges" has named Rutgers University's Newark campus, the most
thnicallydiverse national university in the United States since 1997.
Admissions and financial aid
Undergraduate admissions to Rutgers–Newark are classified as “selective” by ''U.S. News & World Report''. Rutgers University in Newark receives almost 17,000 freshman and transfer applications and enrolls about 1,700 new students each year. Admissions decisions are based on academic potential as demonstrated by grades, grade-point average, class rank and test scores as well as extracurricular activities and demonstrated leadership such as volunteer work, school clubs and organizations, community service and paid employment. Merit scholarships are offered at the acceptance stage to students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement.
Tuition for full-time, New Jersey residents attending Rutgers University in Newark is $10,954; for non-residents it is $25,732. Fees are $2,343, and the cost of room and board is $12,509.
Typically, nearly 75 percent of the entering class received an offer of financial aid from Rutgers–Newark. Using a student's Free Application for Financial Student Aid, Rutgers develops a customized financial-aid package based on the student's qualifications, financial need, and funds available to the university. A financial aid package may include any or a combination of these major financial aid sources: gift aid (''e.g.'', grants, scholarships, and awards), loans, and work-study. Offers typically range from $500 to $24,000, with the average financial aid package reaching $16,000.
Student housing
Freshman students living on campus are assigned to Woodward Hall. These suite style accommodations are non-cooking and contain three double bedrooms, as well as a bathroom. The rooms and suites are fully furnished, and the building includes a 24-hour computer lab and laundry room.
Returning and transfer students under the age of 21 are assigned to University Square while returning and transfer students who are at least 21 years old are assigned to Talbott Apartments. Both complexes offer single rooms in either a three-person or four-person shared apartment and include a computer lab, study/social lounges, television lounges, a laundry room, and vending area.
Currently under construct, 5-story mixed use development will include a 391-bed honors dorm, and a university owned parking garage at 155 Washington Street is set to become an 18-story market rate residential building.
Attached to Woodward Hall is Stonsby Commons & Eatery for residents who are on a meal plan. While Woodward Hall residents are required to be on a meal plan, any student may purchase a meal plan and eat in all campus dining halls.
A limited number of family apartment options are available for married or domestic partners and students with children in university-owned brownstones.
The
American Insurance Company Building at 15 Washington Park provides graduate student housing and includes public performance spaces and a penthouse for the school's chancellor.
Student media
There are two student-run newspapers distributed at the Newark Campus:
* ''The Observer'' (covering the Newark campus and surrounding University Heights community) began in 1936. It is published every Tuesday morning during the fall and spring semesters.
* ''
The Newark Targum'', also published weekly, began in 2006.
The campus also has a student magazine, which was founded in 2011. Early publications of ''Scarlet Magazine'' were published and distributed monthly. As of the 2023–2024 school year, issues are published each semester.
''Encore'' is the student yearbook of the Rutgers Newark Campus. It has published a yearbook for the graduating senior class since 1936.
''WRNU'' radio station is located in the Paul Robeson Campus Center. It offers a variety of diverse musical and talk-show programs and can be heard by residents in student housing on radio dial 103.9 FM.
''The Newark Metro'', a multimedia web magazine, covers metropolitan life from Newark and North Jersey to New York City. It is produced by students at Rutgers–Newark under the direction of Professor
Robert W. Snyder.
Safety and security
Residence halls operate on electronic lock systems requiring card access 24 hours a day or are staffed 24 hours a day by security guards. Security cameras in residence halls, parking lots, and in other locations act as a deterrent to criminal behavior and serve as an investigative tool. Commissioned police officers supported by other trained personnel patrol regularly.
Each year, the Division of Public Safety conducts workshops for students at orientation, in residence halls, and through “RU Safe” events, which are broadcast over the Rutgers television network. More detailed information on safety procedures is available through the ''Safety Matters'' newsletter published annually.
Athletics

The Rutgers–Newark's athletic teams are called the
Scarlet Raiders. The university is a member in the
Division III level of the
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
(NCAA), primarily competing in the
New Jersey Athletic Conference
The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), formerly the New Jersey State Athletic Conference, is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. All of its current full members are public universities in New Jers ...
(NJAC) for most of its sports since the 1985–86 academic year;
[Rutgers–Newark official athletics website]
Retrieved on 2017-01-10. except men's volleyball, which the NJAC does not sponsor. In that sport, the Scarlet Raiders are members of the
Continental Volleyball Conference (CVC).
Rutgers–Newark competes in 14 intercollegiate varsity sports (7 each for men and women): Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.
Facilities
Built in 1977, the Golden Dome Athletic Center is the hub of Rutgers–Newark athletics, seating 2,000. Soccer and softball games are held on Alumni Field, while the Rutgers–Newark baseball team plays at
Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium, a 6,200-seat ballpark that was home to the
Newark Bears
The Newark Bears were an American independent league professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They were a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and, later, the Canadian American Association of Professional Bas ...
, a minor-league professional baseball franchise.
Alumni
*
Richard H. Bagger, former chief of staff, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former state senator
*
Michael Patrick Carroll, New Jersey assemblyman (R-25th District)
*
Ida L. Castro, first Latina commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Personnel
*
Raymond G. Chambers, philanthropist and humanitarian; chairman, MCJ Amelior Foundation
*
Ronald Chen, former New Jersey Public Advocate, acting dean of Rutgers School of Law-Newark
*
Alex Chilowicz, professional soccer referee and musician
*
Marianne Espinosa, judge,
Supreme Court of New Jersey
The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the supreme court, highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases cha ...
*
Charles Evered, writer/director
*
Zulima Farber, former
New Jersey Attorney General
The attorney general of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state and oversees the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, Department of Law and Public Safety. The office is appointed by the governor of New Jersey, confi ...
*
Louis J. Freeh, former director,
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
*
Nia Gill,
New Jersey Senator representing the 34th district
*
Paula Grossman, music educator and transsexual activist
*
Wade Henderson
Wade J. Henderson (born April 22, 1948) is an African-American advocate, community leader and governmental activist. He has served as president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR) and counsel to the Leadership Conferenc ...
, president & chief executive officer, The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights
*
Richard J. Hughes, former
governor of New Jersey
The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The ...
; chief justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey
*
Frank Iero
Frank Anthony Iero, Jr. (, born October 31, 1981) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist of the rock band My Chemical Romance and as a guitarist in the supergr ...
, rhythm guitarist and back-up vocalist of
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
band
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American Rock music, rock band from New Jersey. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, lead guitarist Ray Toro, rhythm guitarist Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way. They are considered one of ...
and
post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. Like the term " post-punk", the term "post-hardcore" has been applied to a broad conste ...
band
Leathermouth
*
Jerry Izenberg, syndicated daily sports columnist
*
Jaynee LaVecchia, justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey
*
Virginia Long, retired justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey
*
George McPhee, vice president and general manager for the
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Golden Knights compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
*
Robert Menendez,
United States Senator
The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress.
Party affiliation
Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...
representing New Jersey
*
Patrick Morrisey
Patrick James Morrisey (born December 21, 1967) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 37th governor of West Virginia since 2025. He served as the 34th attorney general of West Virginia from 2013 to 2025. A member of the Repub ...
*
Ozzie Nelson
Oswald George Nelson (March 20, 1906 – June 3, 1975) was an American actor, filmmaker, musician, and bandleader. He originated and starred in ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'', a radio and television series with his wife Harriet Nelson, ...
, radio and television entertainer
*
Ronald L. Rice, New Jersey Senator representing the 32nd district
*
Esther Salas
Esther Salas (born December 29, 1968) is a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey sitting in Newark, New Jersey. She previously served as a United States magist ...
, judge,
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (in case citations, D.N.J.) is a federal court in the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Third Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. gover ...
*
Judith Viorst, author and columnist for ''
Redbook
''Redbook'' is an American women's magazine that is published by the Hearst Communications, Hearst magazine division. It is one of the "Seven Sisters (magazines), Seven Sisters", a group of women's service magazines. It ceased print publicatio ...
'' magazine; recipient of Emmy Award in 1970
*
Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Ann Warren (née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States senator from the state of Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A mem ...
, United States Senator representing Massachusetts; Leo Gottlieb Professor of Law at
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is the oldest law school in continuous operation in the United ...
; named one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World" by ''
Time
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' magazine in 2009
*
Tracey Scott Wilson, playwright
*
Ramy Youssef, stand-up comedian and writer best known for his work on the
Golden Globe
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...
-winning
Hulu
Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...
series ''
Ramy''
See also
*
Colonial colleges
The colonial colleges are nine institutions of higher education founded in the Thirteen Colonies, predating the United States. As the only American universities old enough to have alumni that participated in the American Revolution and the Foundi ...
*
Henry Rutgers
*
Public Ivy
"Public Ivy" is an informal term that refers to public colleges and universities in the United States that are perceived to provide a collegiate experience on the level of Ivy League universities. Richard Moll in his book ''Public Ivys: A Guide ...
*
Post-secondary education in New Jersey
*
List of American state universities
References
External links
*
Athletics website*
Scarlet Magazine'
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rutgers-Newark
Universities and colleges established in 1936
Universities and colleges established in 1946
Universities and colleges in Newark, New Jersey
1946 establishments in New Jersey
Public universities and colleges in New Jersey