How to Get Into Rutgers University: Admissions Data & Strategies

August 18, 2025

Rutgers University’s prized New Brunswick campus is ranked among the top 25 public institutions in the country. Possessing standout programs in engineering, computer science, business, and nursing, Rutgers’ flagship campus attracts literally dozens of talented students not only from its home state of New Jersey but also from around the globe. In fact, the university (across all levels) is home to students from all 50 states as well as 9,000 international students from 125 countries. With rising application numbers and dropping acceptance rates, access to the New Brunswick campus is a more selective process than some may realize.

Given this competitive environment, the intent of this article is to give those considering applying to Rutgers University information such as:

Rutgers University’s Class of 2027 acceptance rate (plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
SAT, GPA, and class rank of accepted Rutgers University applicants
Admissions stats by academic discipline/school
Admissions trends from the Class of 2028
Rutgers University’s system for rating applicants
A look at the demographics of current undergraduates
The percent of accepted students that attend Rutgers University (yield rate)
Tips for applying to the Rutgers University
How to assess whether applying to Rutgers University is even worth the $70 application fee (for you)

Rutgers Acceptance Calculator

Want to calculate your chance of getting into Rutgers?

College Transitions is pleased to offer the most accurate admissions calculator you’ll find anywhere online — the only such tool that is informed by decades of combined experience personally guiding thousands of students through the college admissions process. Please click below to enjoy all the benefits.

College Transitions Admissions Calculator

Our college chance calculator is the most personalized tool on the market. Use it to build a balanced and intelligent college list. To get started, simply input your stats to explore your chances at 170+ colleges!

Rutgers University Acceptance Rate – Class of 2025

Rutgers is pretty cagey about its admissions data. According to an offical source, there were more than 76,900 applicants over the entire Rutgers system (New Brunswick/Rutgers Health, Newark, Camden) for the Class of 2028. However, this doesn’t tell us anything about the admit rate. To find an accurate acceptance rate, we have to look back to the Class of 2027. In the 2022-2023 admission cycle, 43,347 applications for admission into the Rutgers Class of 2027; 28,326 were accepted. This means that the Rutgers acceptance rate is 65%.

Historical Rutgers acceptance rates are as follows:

	Applicants	Admits	Acceptance Rate
Class of 2026	41,654	27,612	66%
Class of 2025	43,161	29,419	68%
Class of 2024	41,263	27,618	67%

Rutgers In-State vs. Out-of-State Acceptance Rate

If you hail from outside New Jersey, you’ll have an easier time gaining acceptance to Rutgers. For students entering the Class of 2027, the Rutgers—New Brunswick in-state acceptance rate was 62% while the out-of-state acceptance rate was 72%.

Rutgers Admissions Statistics by School – Class of 2027

It’s also important to take a close look at the admitted student profile for your school of choice within the larger university:

School of Arts and Sciences

SAT mid-50% range: 1330-1510
ACT mid-50% range: 30-34
High school GPA range: 3.8-4.2
High school percentile rank range: 75-95

Rutgers Business School

SAT mid-50% range: 1370-1510
ACT mid-50% range: 30-34
High school GPA range: 3.8-4.2
High school percentile rank range: 78-95

School of Engineering

SAT mid-50% range: 1360-1520
ACT mid-50% range: 30-34
High school GPA range: 3.8-4.3
High school percentile rank range: 75-95

School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

SAT mid-50% range: 1290-1470
ACT mid-50% range: 29-34
High school GPA range: 3.7-4.2
High school percentile rank range: 69-95

Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy

SAT mid-50% range: 1380-1520
ACT mid-50% range: 31-34
High school GPA range: 4.1-4.4
High school percentile rank range: 85-95

School of Nursing–New Brunswick

SAT mid-50% range: 1260-1440
ACT mid-50% range: 29-32
High school GPA range: 4.1-4.3
High school percentile rank range: 82-95

Mason Gross School of the Arts

SAT mid-50% range: 1280-1450
ACT mid-50% range: 29-33
High school GPA range: 3.7-4.1
High school percentile rank range: 74-95

What class rank do you need to get accepted to Rutgers?

Among enrolled 2023-24 first-year students, 92% hailed from the top half. Moreover, 66% placed in the top quarter and 30% in the top tenth.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for Rutgers?

Approximately 56% of enrolled Class of 2027 students chose to submit test scores. Of that bunch, the mid-50% SAT range was 1270-1480; the ACT range was 28-33.

Admissions Trends & Notes – Class of 2028

While we might not have the exact acceptance rate for the Class of 2028, Rutgers has provided some snippets of information about the students.

Rutgers New Brunswick received a record-breaking number of applications this past cycle.
12% of the enrolled students are out-of-state students.
88% of the incoming class were New Jersey residents.
The international students in the Class of 2028 represented 72 countries.
3,200+ students are the first in their family to attend college.
The Class of 2028 was one of the most diverse classes in school history.

How Rutgers University Rates Applicants

According to the most recent data available, Rutgers University considers only two factors as “very important” to the admissions process: rigor of high school course load and GPA. Three items are designated as “important”: the application essay, character/personal qualities, and extracurricular activities. “Considered” factors are: class rank, standardized test scores, an interview, geographical residence, talent/ability, work experience, volunteer work, first-generation status, and state residency.

Straight from the Rutgers admissions office:

“The number of applicants Rutgers admits is determined by the quality of the applicant pool, which changes from year to year and varies by college/school, and the space in the entering class.”
“We conduct a holistic review of each student’s application that takes into consideration many more factors than test scores and cumulative grade-point averages.”

Who Actually Gets Into Rutgers University?

Let’s now take a look at the demographics of the Rutgers University undergraduate student body.

Historically, the states that send the highest number of students to Rutgers are:

New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
California
Maryland

The greatest number of international students typically come from the following countries:

China
India
South Korea
Taiwan
Mexico
Canada

In terms of ethnic identity, the breakdown is as follows for the Class of 2027:

White: 29%
Asian: 37%
Hispanic: 15%
Black or African American: 6%
Two or More Races: 4%
International: 7%

A look at the gender split reveals that the Class of 2027 enrolled a fairly even number of men and women:

Men: 48%
Women: 52%

Rutgers University’s Yield Rate

Rutgers University’s yield rate—the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted—is 27%, slightly higher than previous years. However, this figure is significantly lower than other powerhouse state universities like the University of Florida (44%), University of Michigan (47%), and UVA (42%).

Tips for Applying to Rutgers University

If you plan on joining the 43,000+ Rutgers University hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

Rutgers extended its test-optional policy through the 2025-26 admissions cycle.
Apply early by November 1, if possible. You will receive a decision by January 31.
Rutgers University does not consider “demonstrated interest” so you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
Current high school seniors must complete a Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR).
Rutgers typically does not require any supplemental essays (unless you’re applying to the Honors College), so pour your energy into the Common App personal statement required by Rutgers.

Should I Apply to Rutgers University?

Students who pursued a reasonably rigorous high school course load and earned a mixture of A’s and B’s will be viable candidates for the New Brunswick campus. SAT scores above a 1300 will put applicants on solid footing, but the temporary test-optional policy can be utilized by those without strong standardized test results. Moreover, out-of-state teens will face an easier road to acceptance.

Rutgers University Acceptance Rate — Final Thoughts

Of course, it goes without saying that all teens applying to a school of Rutgers University’s caliber—particularly in certain strong programs/colleges— also need to have a proper mix of “target” and “safety” schools on their college list. More on creating a balanced college list can be found here.

Ready to begin crafting your college applications? Check out the following resources:

bookmark

College Admissions

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).