Right now I am choosing between NJIT and Stevens. I am not sure what type of engineering I am doing but am leaning towards civil or mechanical. I visited both campuses and liked Stevens’ campus a little more. I don’t know if this matters but I also was accepted into the Honors College at NJIT and the Pinnacle Scholars Program at Stevens. NJIT also costs 11k per year and Stevens 47k per year. My primary question is about the benefits of the Pinnacle Program at Stevens and how that would help me with my career. Also, how is the off-campus housing situation at Stevens? I am looking to save money by moving off-campus after my freshman or sophomore year. Finally, what is your favorite thing about Stevens and what made you go here in the first place? Thanks in advance for the advice.
$35k per year is a good way to save money.
NJIT and Stevens are in the same league for engineering. Why would you want to pay so much more for essentially the same thing?
I’m just worried about Steven’s higher placement rate as well as their considerably higher starting salaries. I am also not too sure about NJIT’s career services.
NJIT had a problem with their career services about 10 years ago and have worked diligently to remedy the problem. It’s now fine.
In addition, you’ll be in Honors, meaning you’ll get personalized advising, which is always a plus. With the 35K you save each year, you can probably invest 20K (through solid, legitimate means, not online!) and have a nice nest egg at graduation, or choose a tempting summer internship in a high cost of living area like the Silicon Valley or Vancouver…
I’d definitely go with NJIT because they’re in the same group for what you’re interested in and that’s A LOT of money for a marginal advantage.
Thanks for the advice. Are you a former student at NJIT?
@momprof9904 might be able to offer you more insights.
@J119277 I have a son who is graduating from NJIT this May. He has had two internships and has a job lined up from his second internship. The career services was very helpful for him to craft his resume etc. He was not in Honors, but had many friends in the Honors program. That’s also a plus when you apply for internships and jobs. NJIT is now an R1 university . According to US News Engrg. rankings for undergrad Stevens is like #69 and NJIT is #90. At this level of the rankings, they’re pretty much in the same league - we’re not talking MIT vs NJIT here(Rutgers is ranked around #50 for comparison.)
I get that being in Newark doesn’t have the same cachet as Hoboken. By the way, where do you get the impression that off-campus in Hoboken will be much cheaper? Have you priced out rents in Hoboken? My son’s friends who chose Stevens did so because money was no object for their parents, and of course there is the cachet factor. If that’s the case - then choose what you like.
I don’t think companies pay more just because someone is a Stevens engineering grad. You may be looking at aggregate averages at both schools, which may be misleading. FWIW, my kid is a CS grad and will be earning more than the average starting salary listed for Steven class of 2020 ($77K). Just one data point on how these averages can be misleading
Yeah, the off campus housing situation with Stevens is not ideal. NJIT I have guaranteed 4 years while at Stevens I only have 1 or 2. I have not yet looked at rents in Hoboken, but this is certainly a factor in my decision. Also, what do you mean by aggregate averages? Thanks for the advice, too, as this is really helping me in my college decision.
Are you planning to take out loans for Stevens? It seems you’re concerned about the rent. I am wondering if Stevens is a financial stretch for you and your family.
Re: aggregate averages - these average salary data may be for the entire university , with all different majors - or not. It’s important to compare apples with apples.
Hoboken is NYC expensive.
Civil engineering is $58,500 for NJIT and $67,500 for Stevens. Not sure if this is because Stevens grads are getting jobs in NYC. Fortunately my family is in a good financial situation but I also have another sibling in college at the same time and other siblings going to college in the future so finances are still a factor. I will take out some loans but not too much that it is a financial burden to my future.
Your cost differential is 36K per year. You can only get up $5500 or thereabout per year through federal loans. Unless your parents can make up the rest, you are probably looking at private loans cosigned by parents?
Maybe engineers on this forum can comment on the salary differential. Keep in mind these are only averages, not guarantees. I wouldn’t solely base my decision on this average salary figure to justify the differential in price.
Edited to add: you’ll generally find advice on these forums to be loan averse, including mine ; only you and your family can know the realities of what is feasible and what is not, and whether taking on loans is justified. Do look at loan repayment calculators on the web- many people are often shocked by the monthly payments they have to make.
Realize that even if going to Stevens instead of NJ would boost your salary by 10K/year for the same job (which I think is extremely unlikely) and even if the interests on your loans were zero percent (which is certainly not the case) then it would still take you fifteen years to break even.
Wow, my son could have written this as he, and we, are deciding between these colleges. At NJIT he gets honors college and net price is about 24k, but almost no chance to make D-I swim team. At Stevens, about 48k, very likely to make their D-III swim team. He swims for the love of the sport. Stevens also has the program to allow undergrad credits to count toward a master’s degree. Plus, a master’s degree counts as a year of experience towards eligibility for the P.E.exam. Stevens is a two stop NJ Transit train to home. Feels safe in the Hoboken neighborhood. He will get priority on living in the new resident tower next year. NJIT, 25 minute Uber ride away, will allow him to live 4 years in honors dorm. Neighboring area is a bit edgy. Two prominent NYC engineer friends tell me they give the edge to hiring Stevens graduates, all else being equal. Agonizing decision!
I liked that NJIT published details on the salaries for each major in 2020, including the number of graduates who responded. Stevens published more generalized numbers, and I could not tell precisely what number of graduates responded to the survey, and in particular how many mechanical engineering graduate responded. I have more comfort in the NJIT numbers, even though they are generally lower.
Can he contact the NJIT swim club? Some clubs at D1 schools are quite competitive and they’d probably love to have him.
I’d take NJIT Honors for 24k.
I imagine that NJIT Honors=Stevens, even if NJIT “regular” isn’t – in particular due to the experiences it affords the students. A good resume will trump college name. (Engineers tend to be practical).
Another bonus: 4 years of honors dorm means he doesn’t have to worry about housing, which is a BIG DEAL – Stevens doesn’t guarantee housing all 4 years and if he lives one year in their residential tower will he want to go back home and commute for Year 2-4?
That’s excellent advice and I will urge him to look into that today!
That’s a solid point. Predictable housing at NJIT is truly factor in NJIT’s favor.
Thanks for weighing in with your thoughts!
Decision = NJIT. The benefits of the honors college and the cost savings carried the day.
Congratulations !