Home
Colleges
New Jersey
Rider University

Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 66/100

Rider University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

Compare This College

Lawrenceville, New Jersey

About Rider University

Rider University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. It enrolls 3,106 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.

Official website: rider.edu

Acceptance: 78.6%
Graduation: 67.4%
Net Price: $24,792
Median Earnings (10yr): $62,208
Enrollment: 3,106
Student : Faculty: 12:1

Accreditor Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.

Good

66/100

UCD Score · 4-Year Selective

Outcomes 61

Value 42

Affordability 42

Selectivity 61

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

With an acceptance rate of 78.6%, Rider University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.

Acceptance Rate

78.6%

Easy

SAT Range (25th–75th)

1100 – 1320

Reading + Math combined

ACT Range (25th–75th)

27 – 31

Cumulative composite

Test Policy Not Considered Standardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Rider University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 7.9 pts since 2019

Cost & Financial Aid

The real cost of attending Rider University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $24,792 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.

Average Net Price

$24,792

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

35%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

58%

Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees: $41,120
Room & Board (on-campus): $17,230
Room & Board (off-campus): $9,600
Books & Supplies: $900
Other Expenses (on-campus): $1,900
Other Expenses (off-campus): $2,400
Total Cost of Attendance: $55,967

Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

Under $30,000

$15,824
$30,001 – $48,000

$18,090
$48,001 – $75,000

$22,119
$75,001 – $110,000

$28,445
Over $110,000

$31,574

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$5,500

10% percentile

$10,500

25% percentile

$26,130

Median percentile

$27,750

75% percentile

$33,500

90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median

Pell recipients $22,548 ↓ $3,582

No Pell $19,500 ↓ $6,630

Dependent students $20,500 ↓ $5,630

Independent students $18,750 ↓ $7,380

Female students $22,041 ↓ $4,089

Male students $19,000 ↓ $7,130

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($26,130), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

67% of full-time students who enrolled at Rider University graduate within six years, and 80% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate

67%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

80%

Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Rider University earn a median of $62,208 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$62,208

Earning > $25K

84%

10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates

$49,700

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates

$60,600

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)

$50,600

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)

$53,100

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)

$55,800

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $10,900, about 18% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 13.0 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Excellent. 87% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Rider University is home to 3,106 students, a mid-sized community.

Total Enrolled

3,106

Part-Time

First-Generation

29%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

White 52.2% 1,621

Hispanic 20.2% 626

Asian 12.3% 381

Black 6.6% 205

International 4.0% 124

Other 3.3% 103

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Rider University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Large Suburb Lawrenceville, New Jersey

Housing

Strongly residential 2,409 beds for 3,106 students

Adult Learners

7% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

Rider University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 72 distinct programs across 22 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

10 Programs

Business

Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)
Business Administration $68K ($48K–$94K)
Finance $83K ($61K–$112K)

7 Programs

Visual & Performing Arts

Music $43K ($26K–$59K)
Music $43K ($26K–$59K)
Design $51K ($33K–$71K)

6 Programs

Health

Mental Health Services $52K ($38K–$69K)
Health Sciences $61K ($43K–$82K)
Public Health $59K ($42K–$79K)

4 Programs

Computer Science

Computer Science $107K ($75K–$152K)
Computer Software & Media $59K ($36K–$88K)
IT Administration $85K ($59K–$118K)

4 Programs

Communication

Public Relations $64K ($46K–$84K)
Public Relations $64K ($46K–$84K)
Communication & Media $56K ($40K–$76K)

2 Programs

Biology

Biology $57K ($39K–$79K)
Biochemistry & Biophysics $65K ($45K–$88K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at Rider University is 12:1, close to the national average.

Student : Faculty

12:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Endowment

$85M

Modest endowment

Avg Faculty Salary

$103,850

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

161 instructional faculty across 5 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank	Faculty Count	Share	Avg Salary
Full Professors	68	42%	$115,766
Associate Professors	62	39%	$102,000
Assistant Professors	24	15%	$84,178
Lecturers	6	4%	$71,329
No Rank	1	1%	$75,472

Pros & Cons of Rider University

A quick at-a-glance summary of how Rider University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.

PROS

Accessible admissions for most applicants
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Above-average graduation rate
Solid post-graduation earnings

CONS

Above-average net price

Best for: Based on the data, Rider University is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.

Frequently Asked Questions about Rider University

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Rider University.

Is Rider University hard to get into?

Rider University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 78.6%.

What is the acceptance rate at Rider University?

Rider University has an acceptance rate of 78.6%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.

What SAT score do you need for Rider University?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Rider University scored between 1100 and 1320 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.

What ACT score do you need for Rider University?

The middle 50% of admitted students at Rider University scored between 27 and 31 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

How much does Rider University cost?

The average net price after aid at Rider University is $24,792 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Is Rider University worth it?

Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $62,208 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $24,792 per year. That's roughly 2.5x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

What is Rider University known for?

Rider University is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Teacher Education (K-12), Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

What do Rider University graduates earn?

Median earnings 10 years after entering Rider University are $62,208, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.

Is Rider University accredited?

Yes. Rider University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

How many students attend Rider University?

Rider University enrolls 3,106 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.

What is the graduation rate at Rider University?

Rider University graduates 67% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

Is Rider University a public or private college?

Rider University is a Private Nonprofit institution.

Where is Rider University located?

Rider University is located in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

What programs does Rider University offer?

Rider University offers 72 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Teacher Education (K-12), Psychology.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Rider University?

The student-to-faculty ratio at Rider University is 12:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.