The School of Business at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) finished No. 53 on Poets&Quants’ 2025 ranking of the Best Undergraduate Business Programs in the U.S. In our three methodological categories, it finished No. 49 in Admission Standards, No. 64 in Career Outcomes, and No. 69 in Academic Experience (based solely on our alumni survey).
The B-school’s acceptance rate for the fall 2024 incoming class was 64%, and the class also reported an average SAT score of 1209. Its six-year graduation rate is 89%.
In career data, 85% of Class of 2024 graduates and 75% of Class of 2023 grads completed at least one business-specific internship before graduation. Some 92.4% of 2024 grads found jobs within three months, compared to 83.9% of 2023 grads.
Average salary for the most recent graduates was $70,245, with 9% of them reporting an average signing bonus of $3,019. The top employers included CohnReznick, Deloitte, JPMorgan, KPMG, PwC, EY, Johnson & Johnson, Bristol Myers Squibb, MJH Lifesciences, and The Depository Trust & Clearing Corp.
WHAT SETS TCNJ BUSINESS APART?
The College of New Jersey’s business program emphasizes deep academic engagement and real-world application through its 4-credit course structure, which allows students to explore subjects in greater depth than the standard 3-credit system.
Experiential learning plays a key role in the program. Students have the opportunity to participate in a $60,000 Annual Business Plan Competition, apply their knowledge through a student-managed investment fund, and benefit from the mandatory Business Peer Mentor program, which helps all new students transition into the program successfully.
TCNJ has introduced collaborative projects between business and STEM fields, fostering interdisciplinary problem-solving and innovation. The school has also increased experiential course components, ensuring students gain hands-on experience in real business scenarios.
The B-School offers a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Economics, as well as a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Accounting and Business Administration. Business Administration students can specialize in Finance, Interdisciplinary Business, Management, or Marketing to tailor their education to their career goals.
FIVE SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES
At the core of the TCNJ education is what the B-school calls its Five Signature Experiences: personalized, collaborative, and rigorous education; undergraduate research, mentored internships, and field experiences; community-engaged learning; global engagement; and leadership development.
All TCNJ undergraduates go through each of these experiences within their four years in the program. The objective of the signature experiences is to help students discover their goals and develop the technical and soft skills necessary to achieve those goals. The benefit of the Five Signature Experiences is that students are given a comprehensive education that incorporates every aspect of business to prepare students for the real world. By the time they graduate, TCNJ students are well-versed in all areas from research to leadership.
STRONG FACULTY SUPPORT
TCNJ offers a fairly simple and straightforward curriculum. Undergraduate students can choose from four majors: a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and Bachelor of Science in Economics. The Business Administration degree offers additional specializations in Finance, Interdisciplinary Business, Management, and Marketing.
TCNJ ensures that each and every student receives quality support and mentorship. This is a key differentiating factor of TCNJ and goes hand in hand with its hallmark Five Signature Experiences offering. As students go through each experience, faculty and staff are there to enhance their intellectual curiosity and guide their development.
TCNJ students have a variety of opportunities to discover their interests and gain valuable real-world experience. Survey alumni highlighted a number of experiences that they say were valuable in helping them succeed in their careers.
ALUMNI SAY
“The projects I did throughout my 4 years at TCNJ prepared me for work post graduation. The faculty was great and very helpful all 4 years.”
“Mayo Business Plan competition. It was important because it gave me the opportunity to develop and pitch a business plan and win $30,000.”
“Tcnj as a alumni network that is extremely generous. Nearly every role I have gotten has been through our alumni network.”
“I took the Cross-Cultural Management course that was equally informative and engaging. It is a course that has given me information that is relevant in society and the business world today.”
“The National Investment Banking Competition and my Independent Research Project