GALLOWAY, N.J. — Stockton University has earned a place among the top 10 public regional universities in the North, according to the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings released this week.
The university ranked No. 8 among 48 institutions in the Top Public Schools – Regional Universities (North) category, placing second among New Jersey schools.
Stockton also ranked No. 19 among 155 institutions in the overall Regional Universities (North) category, again placing second in New Jersey.
The rankings also recognized Stockton for its commitment to military veterans and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
The university ranked No. 5 in Best Colleges for Veterans and No. 15 for Social Mobility among regional universities in the North, placing first among New Jersey institutions in both categories.
Stockton President Highlights Opportunities for Students
Stockton President Joe Bertolino said the rankings reflect the university's efforts to provide educational opportunities and support students from a variety of backgrounds.
"These rankings are a wonderful reflection of the work happening every day at Stockton to create opportunities for our students and help them succeed," Bertolino said.
"I'm especially proud of our commitment to veterans and to first-generation and low-income students. Stockton is a place where they, and all students, can thrive and leave us empowered to soar."
The university's social mobility ranking evaluates how successfully an institution enrolls and graduates economically disadvantaged students, particularly those who receive federal Pell Grants.
Pell Grants are generally awarded to undergraduate students with significant financial need.
According to Stockton, its six-year graduation rate for Pell Grant recipients is 72%, compared with a national average of 39.1%.
The university said its performance in that category reflects its efforts to provide academic and financial support to students who might otherwise face barriers to completing a college degree.
New Programs and Campus Investments
Bertolino emphasized that national rankings are only one measure of Stockton's progress.
The university has recently introduced new academic programs and invested in facilities intended to meet changing student needs.
Among those developments are new certificate programs in entrepreneurship and business management fundamentals in hospitality.
Stockton also recently completed a $24 million renovation of its Richard E. Bjork Library and Learning Commons.
The university has announced a partnership with AtlantiCare to expand health education and workforce development opportunities through the College of Community Health in Atlantic City.
"All of these efforts reflect who we are as a university — a community of opportunity committed to meeting students where they are and giving them the tools and support they need to flourish," Bertolino said.
Recognition for Supporting Military Veterans
Stockton has a long history of providing educational opportunities and support services for military veterans.
In addition to its No. 5 ranking for veterans in the U.S. News regional university category, Stockton has been recognized for three consecutive years as a Top 10 institution nationally in the Military Friendly Schools survey.
The university's latest U.S. News ranking places it first among New Jersey regional universities in the North for veterans.
Additional National Recognition
The U.S. News rankings are the latest in a series of national college evaluations recognizing Stockton this year.
In July, Money magazine awarded the university four out of five stars for the fifth consecutive year in its Best Colleges in America rankings.
In August, Washington Monthly ranked Stockton No. 41 among 393 institutions in its Northeast Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars list.
Stockton also ranked No. 130 nationally among 1,504 institutions in that evaluation.
The university has also been included in rankings published by Time, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and The Princeton Review.
Stockton offers more than 160 undergraduate and graduate programs, with campuses in Galloway Township and Atlantic City.
The university emphasizes experiential learning, undergraduate research, internships and community engagement as part of its academic programs.
Its latest national rankings come as Stockton continues expanding academic offerings and investing in facilities designed to serve students throughout South Jersey and beyond.
