Rutgers-Newark Honored For Giving Disadvantaged Students Shot at Better Jobs and Pay

Rutgers University–Newark has earned a spot as an Opportunity College and University through the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Out of 478 schools across the country, this one made the cut. The recognition celebrates schools that give economically disadvantaged students real shots at jobs paying competitive wages.

The Carnegie Foundation launched this category for the first time this year. It measures whether schools enroll undergraduate students who mirror the communities around them and whether these students land well-paying jobs after they finish.

"The majority of students apply to college with the hope it is a path to opportunity, and the job they've dreamt about," said Timothy F.C. Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation, per Rutgers.edu. "This work is about ensuring that institutions are recognized when they empower students to reach their goals and succeed."

The honor arrives as U.S. News & World Report ranked the school #5 across the nation and #1 in New Jersey for Social Mobility for the second year running. Meanwhile, the campus also sits at #36 among public institutions.

Undergraduates who received financial aid and finished their degrees within 10 years of starting had a median salary of $74,500, per Department of Education data. That's $20,752 more than the median for graduates of four-year schools nationwide. Ninety-two percent were working full-time or pursuing additional education within six months of finishing.

"This recognition by Carnegie as an Opportunity Institution reaffirms the critical role RU-N plays in advancing social mobility, research excellence, and economic impact," said Chancellor Tonya Smith-Jackson. "At a time when the value of a college degree is questioned, these distinctions validate that our graduates and our scholarship deliver measurable outcomes: transforming lives, driving innovation, and strengthening communities."

The Student Access and Earnings Classification spotlights schools enrolling large numbers of students who can get Pell Grants, which go to low-income students. At Rutgers-Newark, 56% of students at the Newark campus qualify for Pell.

Since 1973, the Carnegie Classification has served as the main method for organizing and describing colleges and universities across the U.S. Today, the foundation works alongside the American Council on Education.