Montclair State University

Public · Moderately Selective · NJ

Photo: Shane Fleming (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationNJ · Northeast

SettingSuburban

Undergrads18,376

Student:faculty18:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate46.1%

6-yr grad rate64.7%

Drop-out rate22.1%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$16k

Out-of-state tuition$26k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity68.4%

Gender diversity58.5%

International1.5%

Identity—

Overview

Montclair State University sits on a hilltop campus in suburban northern New Jersey, notable for its Spanish Mission-style architecture, about a dozen miles from Manhattan. Founded in 1908 as a state normal school, it has grown from a teachers' college into a comprehensive public university that trades on its proximity to New York City as much as its own academic programs, and it now ranks among New Jersey's larger public research universities even as its founding mission in education remains visible across campus.

Academics

Education, business, and communication are its strongest suits, with the closeness to New York feeding real internship pipelines in media, journalism, and the arts through the School of Communication and Media. The university has also built out strong performing and visual arts offerings through the John J. Cali School of Music, and its Peak Performances series brings professional touring artists to campus, giving music and theater students exposure to working professionals well beyond a typical student production season.

Campus & student life

The hilltop campus gives Montclair State a more traditional, self-contained feel than many commuter-heavy northern New Jersey schools, even though many students do commute from the surrounding area. A direct NJ Transit rail stop on campus makes the trip into Manhattan easy, and that short ride shapes weekend life as much as anything happening on campus. The Yogi Berra Museum and adjacent stadium sit on university land, an unusual campus landmark, and the student body is among the more diverse in the New Jersey public system.

Getting in

Admission is holistic but accessible relative to New Jersey's more selective publics, with an emphasis on preparation for a specific program of study. Students targeting the arts, music, or media programs benefit from highlighting relevant portfolio work, auditions, or prior experience, since those programs weigh demonstrated preparation more heavily than the university's general admission process.

After graduation

Graduates in media, communication, and education find strong regional networks in the New York/New Jersey corridor, aided directly by the university's location and its alumni presence in New York media and arts industries. Education graduates are also a reliable pipeline into New Jersey's public school systems statewide.

Worth knowing

The campus's on-site rail stop and the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center are genuine, uncommon assets for a public university of this type, worth knowing for students who want easy city access without giving up a traditional, self-contained campus feel.

montclair.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate87.9%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 910–1210

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying