I am not going to tell you whether this university is “good” or “bad” for your child. No federal number can tell you that, and anyone who promises otherwise is selling you something. What I can do is explain, with the exact figure and what it means, what Rutgers University-Camden is according to its own official reports. With that, you can start forming your own judgment.
Who This University Is and Where It Is Located
Rutgers University-Camden is a public, four-year university located in Camden, New Jersey, within Camden County. Its campus is within the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metropolitan area, although that does not mean the campus is right in that city’s downtown. If your child were considering living at home and commuting every day, I recommend something very specific: drive the route yourself on a weekday, at the exact time your child would have class. The time shown on the map is almost never the actual time.
The Carnegie system, which classifies the nation’s colleges and universities according to what they do, places Rutgers-Camden among doctoral institutions with high research activity. It is also a primarily nonresidential university: according to the data used for that classification, fewer than one in four undergraduate students lived in institution-provided housing, or fewer than half attended full time. The data do not clarify which of the two conditions was met, and this also does not mean there are no residence halls—in fact, there are, as we will see later.
One fact worth emphasizing if your child is coming from another college or is considering transferring: Carnegie places this institution among those that receive many transfer students. If that is your child’s plan, ask in writing, before enrollment, which courses will count and which will not. The “receives many transfer students” label does not tell you how many credits people arrive with or how many are lost along the way.
As for special designations, Rutgers-Camden is not listed as a historically Black college or university (HBCU), a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. This says nothing about which communities it serves or how your child would feel on that campus—that is something to ask directly by speaking with cultural centers and current student organizations.
The Actual Size of the Community
In the official fall count, Rutgers-Camden had 5,776 students enrolled. It is neither a tiny school nor a huge one: it falls within the 5,000 to 9,999 range, one of the most common size ranges among its peers.
But that large number includes graduate students. It breaks down into 3,922 undergraduate students and 1,854 graduate students. If your child is entering a bachelor’s degree program, the number that really matters is 3,922, not the total.
Within that undergraduate population, 22 out of every 100 students were reported as Hispanic or Latino in the fall of 2023— they are not a majority, but they are not unusual either, and in fact this places the university in the highest quarter among 519 comparable selective public universities. There are more women than men: 59 out of every 100. And 24 out of every 100 are between 25 and 64 years old, so the campus is not made up only of teenagers fresh out of high school.
One fact to keep in mind if your family lives outside New Jersey: out of every 100 first-time degree-seeking students, 90 reported a permanent address in the same state when they applied. If your child’s address is in another state, ask directly which tuition rate would apply—the address reported here and the classification used for tuition purposes are two different things.
How the Academic Year Works
Rutgers-Camden organizes its calendar by semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. It accepts credit for AP exams, but did not report accepting credit for life experience. Saying that AP credit is accepted does not mean credit is awarded for every exam—we do not know what scores are required or how many credits are awarded. Ask for the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrollment; do not budget for those savings until you have it in hand.
It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program and reports accepting credit for military training.
Between July 2022 and June 2023, the university awarded 1,302 bachelor’s degrees across 19 academic program families. The program family awarding the most degrees was health professions, with 30 out of every 100 degrees that year—the largest, but without accounting for the bulk of them. No other family accounted for that proportion. This is not the same as 19 majors: each family groups several programs, so if your child is interested in something specific, you need to verify the exact program.
The official student-to-instructional-staff ratio is 12 to 1—a low figure compared with its peers, placing it in the lowest quarter of 519 similar schools. That number alone does not tell you the actual size of first-year classes; it is an aggregate ratio, not a classroom measure.
The institution also reports structured academic opportunities: study abroad, undergraduate research, a complete program that can be taken only during evenings or weekends, developmental education with and without credit, and pathways for teacher certification preparation.
Getting In: What the University Requires and How Accessible It Is
This is where many families become nervous unnecessarily. Let’s take it one piece at a time.
Rutgers-Camden does not have open admission: it reviews specific application components before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations, it marks five as required: the high school transcript, grade point average, completion of the college-preparatory course plan required by the university, the personal essay, and an English proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. Beyond those, only one additional item is considered if submitted: the student’s class rank.
This means your child has to write. The essay is a requirement, not an optional extra. My usual recommendation: have your child start it during the summer, not during the week of the deadline. The first draft is never the one that gets submitted.
The undergraduate application fee is $70.
Now for the figure that probably interests you most: of the 11,951 first-time applicants in the 2023 cycle, 9,292 received an offer of admission. That is 78 out of every 100. It is an accessible rate, in the middle of the pack among its peers. Put another way: this school receives thousands of applications, and even so, the majority receive a “yes.” That is a reason for your child to apply—and also a reason to assemble the complete application and submit it on time. But remember that this figure belongs to a single cycle; when it is your child’s turn, check the number again for the applicable year.
Here is a fact that may surprise you: out of every 100 admitted students, only 6 enrolled. Out of every 17 who receive a “yes,” about one ultimately enrolls. Do not read this as a mark against the university—the federal record does not say why each person made the choice they did, and many of those admitted students probably already had a place elsewhere. What I can tell you is this: what others decided does not tell you what the university will offer you. Wait for your own letter with the net price—that is the real number that will determine whether this school stays on your list.
The SAT and ACT are not required. Of the students who enrolled, 27 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores, and among them the middle half scored between 510 and 625 in reading and writing, and between 500 and 630 in mathematics. Those numbers are for students who enrolled and submitted scores—not all applicants—and we do not know whether the scores were used in the admission decision. That 510 is not a minimum, and that 625 does not guarantee anything either.
About transfers: from a cohort of bachelor’s-degree-seeking students who entered in 2017, 17 out of every 100 transferred without completing here and enrolled at another institution. That proportion is on the low side compared with its peers. On the other hand, the university also receives many transfer students: 512 students entered in the fall of 2023 after previously studying at another institution. Changing schools is not failing—but if it is part of your child’s plan, ask in writing, with the course list in hand, which credits will be recognized before your child makes the move.
The Sticker Price and What Each Family Actually Pays
At Rutgers University-Camden, among 112 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $16,678. Among 63 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $14,931; among 82 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $27,896. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income and their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (112 students) and the average for the highest-income band (82 students) is $11,218. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $18,735.
Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, this institution falls within the most expensive quarter for the lowest-income families. That does not mean it should be ruled out. It means you need to request the financial aid letter before deciding.
The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
Financial Aid and Debt: What Is Common Here
92 out of every 100 degree-seeking students receive some form of grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Receiving something is the norm at this school, not the exception. Among those who receive it, the annual average was $13,838. In addition, 45 out of every 100 students receive the federal Pell Grant, intended for families with more limited incomes.
A high number is not a personal promise. It is what happened with other students in the 2022-23 school year. Ask in writing which applications must be completed, what the deadlines are, and what happens to the grant or scholarship if grades fall.
About loans: 49 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan that year, with an average of $7,952 among those who borrowed. That proportion is on the high side compared with its peers. If your child borrowed a similar amount each year throughout the four years of the degree program, the total would be around $31,808, not counting interest. That number is determined before the first signature, not at the end—and it does not include Parent PLUS loans, bank debt, or credit cards.
The university also offers an installment tuition payment plan and participates in a Promise program.
Campus Life, Learning Format, and Support
Rutgers-Camden does have institution-controlled housing, and it does not require all first-time, full-time students to live there. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies depending on the plan selected. The reported maximum housing capacity is 830 students. The existence of housing does not guarantee that a bed will be available: ask in writing for the rate for the year, the application deadline, and whether you are guaranteed a place or placed on a waiting list.
If your child is interested in ROTC, the university lists two available branches: Army and Air Force; it did not list Navy. Being listed does not mean the program is offered on this specific campus—ask by name before building a plan around it.
In athletics, the university competes at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA, with reported membership in basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. If your child wants to pursue this path, write directly to the coach for the specific sport and ask about a place on the team, the division, and athletic scholarships.
Regarding distance education, the university offers this format at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. 16 out of every 100 undergraduate students took their entire course load remotely in the most recent count; the other 84 took at least one in-person class. The institution also reported offering at least one program in which all required courses can be completed remotely—but it is worth confirming the exact level and field of study.
The library operates with paid staff, has physical and digital materials, and offers interlibrary lending. The list of reported services and support also includes combined academic and career counseling, employment services, job-placement services for program completers, on-campus child care, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for service members and their families, a student veterans organization, and a webpage dedicated to services for people with disabilities. The fact that these services are reported says nothing about their quality or effectiveness—that is something to investigate by speaking with the school and current students.
How Likely Your Child Is to Stay and Graduate
Here we reach the numbers that, honestly, should carry the most weight in your decision.
Of the cohort of first-time, full-time students who entered in the fall of 2022, 82 out of every 100 were still enrolled here or had already graduated one year later. This figure places Rutgers-Camden near the top among its peers. The source does not separate how many were still studying from how many had already graduated, nor does it explain what happened to the rest.
Regarding graduation: from a cohort of 757 first-time, full-time students who began a bachelor’s degree program in 2017, 503 had graduated from that same institution six years later—66 out of every 100. At four years, the timeframe most families budget for, the figure falls to 47 out of every 100, 19 points lower.
It is worth looking at the complete breakdown for that cohort of 757 students:
| Outcome after six years | Students |
|---|---|
| Completed the bachelor’s degree here | 503 |
| Transferred without completing here | 131 |
| Still enrolled without completing | 12 |
| No longer enrolled (federal category) | 111 |
That difference of 19 points between four and six years is real, and it has a direct meaning for your budget: before signing anything, ask in writing how long the program your child is interested in usually takes, how required courses are scheduled, and how the total cost changes if the process takes longer.
Finally, a longer-term view: tracking a cohort of 1,684 students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016, as of August 2023—eight years later—75 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this institution. Among those who received a Pell Grant, the figure was 74 out of every 100, virtually the same. This institution ranks in the highest quarter compared with its peers on this measure.
That number describes what happened to a cohort that entered nearly a decade ago. It is not a prediction about your child. What you can do with that figure is ask directly about the current support available in the program your child is interested in and about the outcomes of more recent cohorts.
How to Use All of This
You now know in detail one of the pieces you need to decide: what Rutgers University-Camden is according to its own official reports—its size, its actual cost, and its admission, financial aid, and graduation figures.
This piece does not replace the other two needed to build a complete plan. What your child wants to study and what your child has already built in high school are still missing.
No figure in this article decides for you. What can change, with this information in hand, is that you can enter that family conversation knowing what to ask, what to request in writing, and what to expect before committing to any decision.
Note on sources: the information in this article comes from data reported by the institution to the U.S. Department of Education’s IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), corresponding primarily to the years 2022-23 and 2023-24, as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent Rutgers University-Camden or any agency of the United States government.