Rowan University

Rowan University provides a relatively accessible admissions environment, paired with a stable draw among students who receive offers. In the 2027 US News Best Colleges rankings, Rowan was placed at rank 191 among national universities, down from rank 169 in 2026. For the entering class of 2025, the university posted an acceptance rate of 77.7%, which is higher than 43% of peer schools in a comparison group of 30 similarly ranked public research universities. This generous acceptance level means that qualified candidates face relatively low barriers to entry. Once admitted, 23% of accepted students chose to enroll, a yield rate that is higher than 67% of peer schools. While below half of admitted applicants choose to attend, this yield indicates that Rowan maintains a competitive pull against regional alternatives. Prospective applicants can view Rowan as a viable option where admission is attainable, though matriculation decisions often depend on comparisons with nearby options.

Applicants to Rowan University typically present solid academic records that place them comfortably in the middle tier of public research institutions. For the entering class of 2025, the median SAT score was 1210, which is higher than 74% of peer schools among 27 similarly ranked public universities. While standardized test score reporting is not universal, these results demonstrate a solid baseline for standardized testing. For international applicants, applicant cases collected by Forward Pathway, which are unofficial data rather than university reports, show an admitted median unweighted high school grade point average of 3.5. Secondary school records in this range suggest consistent classroom achievement across core academic subjects. Prospective students aiming for admission should target an unweighted grade point average near this benchmark and maintain steady marks throughout their preparatory coursework.

Rowan University provides a balanced spread of undergraduate studies alongside nationally recognized professional schools. Degrees are not overly concentrated in just a few fields, as the top three bachelor's programs represented 25.6% of all undergraduate degrees awarded in 2025, led by general psychology and general business administration. Rowan's highest academic standings, however, belong to specialized disciplines rather than its largest undergraduate majors. In the 2026 US News rankings, its medical school ranked 2nd in primary care and 3rd in research, while its undergraduate engineering program held rank 87 in 2027. Graduate engineering offerings in chemical and environmental engineering also achieved top-one-hundred rankings in 2026. For students focused on career earnings, 2023 outcomes data show that technical fields yield the highest initial compensation, with construction management graduates recording median earnings of $90,154 one year after completing their degrees. Applicants should weigh whether they are seeking broad regional majors or specialized programs.

Rowan University educated 21,026 students in 2025, maintaining a campus community structured largely around undergraduates alongside an expanding graduate division. The student body included 4,926 graduate students, who account for nearly a quarter of total enrollment. Demographic representation differs considerably between degree tiers. At the undergraduate freshman level, white students represented the largest group, followed by Hispanic and Black students, while Asian students made up a modest segment alongside international undergraduates. By contrast, the graduate student population exhibits much greater international and Asian representation. In 2025, international students comprised 19.3% of all graduate students, and Asian students constituted 15.3% of the graduate division. Across the overall campus, women made up slightly under half of undergraduates but accounted for a clear majority of advanced-degree candidates. This profile creates an undergraduate experience that is largely domestic and regionally focused, while graduate classrooms feature greater global and ethnic diversity.

Rowan University's undergraduate community is primarily composed of traditional college-aged students, while its graduate population leans toward individuals in their twenties. In 2025, among 16,100 undergraduates, students aged 18 to 19 represented 34.5% of the body, and those aged 20 to 21 accounted for 34.4%. Together, these cohorts establish an undergraduate atmosphere centered around students entering directly from secondary education. In contrast, the graduate division of 4,926 students is concentrated among scholars aged 22 to 29, who make up the vast majority of advanced degree seekers. This division indicates that campus life divides into a youthful undergraduate environment alongside an early-career graduate cohort pursuing professional and advanced academic qualifications.

International student participation at Rowan University has grown steadily over the past decade, though global enrollment remains sharply divided by degree level. At the undergraduate level, international students represented 2.7% of the student body in 2025, a proportion that is higher than 67% of peer schools in a comparison group of 30 similarly ranked public research universities. In contrast, the graduate division has experienced substantial expansion, with international students reaching 19.3% of all graduate students in 2025. This divide is equally visible among graduating classes. In 2025, international students earned just a small fraction of bachelor's degrees, but accounted for 30.5% of all master's degrees awarded. International graduate degree recipients are concentrated primarily in quantitative disciplines, with computer science, general engineering, and data modeling programs reporting that international students made up over seventy percent of their respective master's cohorts. International applicants will find a heavily domestic undergraduate culture alongside an internationally diverse graduate STEM community.

Applicants considering Rowan University in southern New Jersey can find several other higher education options within a short commuting radius across the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Just 16.5 kilometers away in New Jersey, Rutgers University-Camden offers an urban public university option, ranked 95th nationally for 2027. Across the Delaware River in Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson University sits 16.7 kilometers away with a 2027 national ranking of 133. Students seeking comprehensive research institutions in Philadelphia can look at Drexel University, situated 17.4 kilometers from Rowan and holding a 2027 national ranking of 80, as well as the University of Pennsylvania, located 17.2 kilometers away and ranked 7th in the nation.

Campus safety indicators at Rowan University have shown measurable improvement across recent years. The university's weighted crime rate per 1,000 students fell from 32.5 in 2016 down to 8.6 in 2025, reflecting a substantial long-term downward trend in reported incidents relative to campus size. Looking at offense categories across the three-year window from 2023 through 2025, relationship and interpersonal conflicts formed the largest portion of campus reports. Domestic violence was the most frequent incident category during this period, with 179 total incidents, followed by stalking with 134 reported cases. Additional infractions over those three years included reported sexual offenses as well as arrests related to drug and alcohol violations. Prospective students and families should note that while interpersonal offenses remain the primary area of campus security activity, overall incident rates have declined significantly over the past decade.