Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Rutgers-New Brunswick's Liberal Arts program lands squarely in the middle of the pack—but that "middle" looks different depending on whether you're comparing nationally or locally. Against the national field of 1,243 schools, graduates earn slightly below average ($35,768 versus $36,340 first year). More concerning: within New Jersey, this program ranks in just the 40th percentile, trailing the state median by $2,300. When in-state alternatives like Thomas Edison State ($49,779) and Rowan ($43,486) deliver significantly stronger outcomes at likely similar or lower cost, the value case weakens.

The debt picture adds another layer of concern. At $23,000, borrowing sits in the 77th percentile nationally—meaning most comparable programs nationwide burden students with less debt. Combined with below-median New Jersey earnings, that creates a tighter post-graduation budget than many peer programs. The 13% earnings growth to year four helps, but still leaves graduates at $40,401, well behind several state alternatives.

For families paying in-state tuition, Rutgers' name recognition may matter, but the data suggests exploring other New Jersey public options first. If your child is set on Rutgers, understand they'll likely start below $36,000 and manage $23,000 in debt—workable, but not the strong return you'd expect from one of the state's flagship institutions.