
Sign up & start saving!
Get our weekly newsletter for the latest in money news, credit card offers + more ways to save
Finder is committed to editorial independence. While we receive compensation when you click links to partners, they do not influence our content.
Updated
Rutgers might not be the most expensive college out there, but it also isn’t cheap. Despite having a tuition clocking in more than $25,000 less than many private universities, students often graduate with more debt. You can avoid this by looking into your options for free funding: scholarships and grants.
Cost of attending Rutgers | Annual in-state cost | Annual out-of-state cost |
---|---|---|
Tuition | $11,999 | $28,036 |
Fees | $3,078 | $3,183 |
Room and board | $13,450 | $13,450 |
Books and supplies | $1,350 | $1,350 |
Transportation | $848 | $1,416 |
Other expenses | $3,413 | $3,413 |
Total cost for the 2018–2019 academic year | $34,138 | $50,848 |
As you can see, when weighing in costs of attending college, tuition is only half of the picture. Rutgers also includes factors like housing, books, travel and general living expenses when estimating your total cost of attendance. This amount is important — it determines how much financial aid you’re eligible to receive.
Rutgers students graduated with an average student debt load of $25,974 in 2016, according to the US Department of Education. However, by taking advantage of Rutger’s scholarship and grant programs, you could end up carrying less debt.
Yes. If you’re unable to cover your upfront costs of attendance in one lump sum, you can sign up for the Rutgers University Tuition Payment Plan (RTPP). This allows you to pay off your bill in monthly installments.
Students can choose between an annual or semester plan.
Rutgers has several of its own scholarship programs for students. These include:
This full scholarship is available to both in-state and out-of-state students at the New Brunswick campus. However, only the top 1% to 2% of students receive this merit-based award based on academic performance in high school. There’s no separate application — you’ll find out if you qualify after getting your Rutgers acceptance letter.
This scholarship is roughly enough to cover personal expenses for high-performing in-state students at the New Brunswick campus. All students at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy or the School of Engineering are eligible for a Scarlet Scholarship. Like with other merit-based scholarships, there’s no separate application.
Trustee Scholarships are enough to cover at least room and board for Rutgers students while attending school. It’s available to both in-state and out-of-state students, with the exception of those attending the pharmacy or engineering school. There’s no application — you’ll find out if you qualify after you’ve been accepted.
While any full-time undergraduate student might qualify for this needs-based scholarship, Rutgers gives preference to family members or employees of one of the Allegiance Retail Services supermarket chains, including Foodtown and Market Fresh. It’s enough to cover your estimated textbook costs and has no academic requirements to stay eligible.
This scholarship is for tech-savvy students interested in engineering. You must have already participated in a FIRST competition to be considered and submit an application by February 1. This scholarship is almost enough to cover half of in-state tuition for your entire stay at Rutgers.
New Jersey students who lost a parent or guardian during the 9/11 attacks are eligible for full tuition at Rutgers. There’s no formal application, though qualified students must send a letter with documents proving their eligibility to the financial aid office.
Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress to remain eligible.
This scholarship is only given to one first-year student at Rutgers–New Brunswick with outstanding leadership qualities. Students must file the FAFSA to be considered, and Rutgers favors students with a connection to a member of the the Rutgers Alumni Association (RAA).
Those students must send a letter with the name of the member of the RAA, their year of graduation and their relationship to the applicant to the financial aid office.
Rutgers offers several more scholarships — though not all are available on all campuses. These include:
There are. If you’re unable to cover all your expenses with a Rutgers scholarship or grant, you might want to look into government and private options.
In addition to federal grant programs, most states offer free funding to residents. However, you might have difficulty qualifying if you’re an out-of-state student.
Having trouble covering all of your expenses with grants and scholarships? You might have to take out student loans. The US Department of Education recommends that students apply for federal aid first — which includes work-study and federal grants — before turning to private lenders.
However, federal aid comes with annual limits and isn’t available to international students. If you can’t qualify for enough from the government, consider a private student loan.
Compared to most private universities, Rutgers is a steal — especially for in-state students. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to cover all of the costs out of pocket. While it has a wide range of needs- and merit-based scholarships available to students, you might have to use a mix of different types of aid.
Learn more about your options by reading our guide to student loans.
Coverdell ESAs are tax-advantaged accounts that help you save for your child’s college expenses.
Find out when you can enroll in health insurance for 2021, and compare policies.
It’s not too late to fill out the FAFSA for this year — but apply as soon as you can.
Its fully online application sets it apart from other community credit unions, but its rates and terms aren’t exactly competitive.
Check out these national scholarships of up to $40,000 available to Black American students based on merit, need and more.
Explore options available to New Mexico residents — including the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship.
What you should expect at the beginning of your academic term.
How this type of remote learning works — plus tips to help your child excel outside the traditional classroom.
A study found that only 7% of students changed plans due to the coronavirus. And nearly half were unsure of how to pay for their degree.
Cult shows may not appeal to a broad audience, but their quality is undeniable. Here are some of the best cult hits available to stream online.