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students in the class room and a cranberry bog

Rutgers' Role in New Jersey

“For New Jersey students to receive the quality of higher education they deserve, and for all our citizens to have the economic future we want, Rutgers must become a great university.”

New Jersey Higher Education Task Force Report

Research: Creating knowledge and transmitting it to present and future generations is the very essence of a comprehensive research university. Rutgers has the most extensive and diversified network of research laboratories in the state. Rutgers brings to New Jersey more federal research funding than any other university and more than all of the state’s other public colleges and universities combined. Our researchers are recognized as national leaders in such crucial fields as marine and coastal sciences, autism, genetics, nutrition and obesity, neuroscience, wireless communication, alternative energy, and nanotechnology. Learn more.

Education: Rutgers offers more than 180 programs of study, far more than any other university in New Jersey. Many of our programs are rated top in their fields, with philosophy ranked among the top two programs in the nation. Other highly rated programs include English, food science, history, mathematics, microbiology and molecular genetics, planning and public policy, and sociology, among many others. Learn more.

History: Rutgers is the only university in the nation that was founded as a colonial college, designated the state’s land-grant university, and became a flagship public research university. Rutgers and New Jersey can take pride in this unique heritage, which has fostered a long and deep tradition of excellence in research, education, and public service. Learn more.

Economic Impact: As New Jersey grapples with a troubled economy, Rutgers continues to provide solutions that support economic growth and encourage new ventures. The university is the only institution in New Jersey serving the full range of private and public enterprises in all 21 counties, including multinational corporations, small businesses, K–12 schools, and state and local government. Learn more.