New Jersey: school, college and career rules
New Jersey sets a 120-credit minimum for a State-endorsed diploma and a graduation test in grade 11 (the NJGPA-A), presumes in-state tuition status after 12 months of residence, and gives need-based Tuition Aid Grants through HESAA.
Linked from the State Population Totals 2020-2025 page (census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-state-total.html); population and rank copied from the POPESTIMATE2025 and NRANK_POPEST2025 columns.Census
High school diploma
N.J.A.C. 6A:8-5.1: for a State-endorsed diploma, each district board of education adopts local graduation requirements that include a program of study of at least 120 credits in courses designed to meet the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. NJDOE
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| Subject | State minimum |
|---|---|
| English language arts | At least 20 credits |
| Mathematics | At least 15 credits, including Algebra I, geometry and a third year that builds on them |
| Science | At least 15 credits (physical, life, and earth and space science, and engineering) |
| Social studies | At least 15 credits, including 5 credits in world history |
| Financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy | At least 2.5 credits |
| Health, safety and physical education | At least 3¾ credits in each year of enrollment (150 minutes a week) |
| Visual and performing arts | At least 5 credits |
| World languages | At least 5 credits, or shown proficiency |
| Career readiness or career and technical education | At least 5 credits |
120 credits minimum. Technological literacy is built into the curriculum rather than counted as its own credits.
State tests for the diploma
Locally set courses sit alongside the state graduation assessment requirement in English language arts and mathematics, set for each graduating class (see the notes and State test). NJDOE
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Also good to know
- Class of 2027: students must take the NJGPA-A in grade 11 and reach the graduation-ready score of 450 in English language arts and in mathematics (cut scores approved 5 August 2026). They may retake it the following summer or fall.
NJDOE
Class of 2027 High School Graduation Assessment RequirementsNew Jersey Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
- Students who took the NJGPA-A in grade 11 and did not pass can meet the requirement with a score on the state menu of substitute tests (for example the PSAT10, SAT, ACT or ACCUPLACER) or through a portfolio appeal in grade 12.
NJDOE
Class of 2027 High School Graduation Assessment RequirementsNew Jersey Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
State test: NJSLA and NJGPA
New Jersey Student Learning Assessments (Adaptive and Science) and the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment-Adaptive. New Jersey gives these statewide tests every year under the Every Student Succeeds Act and state law, together with ACCESS for English learners, Dynamic Learning Maps for some students with disabilities, and NAEP. NJDOE
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| Test | Subjects | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| NJSLA-Adaptive (NJSLA-A) | English language arts and mathematics | Tested grades from grade 3 |
| NJSLA-Science (NJSLA-S) | Science | Tested grades |
| NJGPA-Adaptive (NJGPA-A) | English language arts (grade 10 standards) and mathematics (Algebra I and geometry) | Grade 11 |
Source: NJDOE
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What the scores are used for
- The NJGPA-A is the graduation test: participation is required to meet the graduation assessment requirement, first for the class of 2027.
NJDOE
NJSLA-Adaptive and NJGPA-Adaptive Frequently Asked QuestionsNew Jersey Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
- NJSLA-A and NJGPA-A results show grade-level proficiency in the state standards; they are not meant for frequent progress checks during the year.
NJDOE
NJSLA-Adaptive and NJGPA-Adaptive Frequently Asked QuestionsNew Jersey Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
National tests (SAT, ACT, AP, NAEP) are on the Exams hub.
Public colleges and universities
The state's public university system(s) and community colleges, from their own pages.
- Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyUniversity system · One of the leading comprehensive public research universities in the nation, with a mission to provide for New Jersey's educational needs through undergraduate, graduate and continuing education.
- New Jersey's 18 community colleges (NJ Council of County Colleges)Community colleges · The Council describes a network of 18 community colleges working together on education, careers, workforce up-skilling and the state's economy.
Sources: Rutgers
View sourceNJCCC
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Every school in New Jersey, public and private, with cost and completion: 156 colleges, community colleges and trade schools, with 13 city pages.
In-state tuition: the residency rule
Public colleges charge less to state residents. Who counts as a resident is set by state law or the college system, not by where you went to school alone.
- Under N.J.A.C. 9A:5, people who have lived in New Jersey for more than 12 months before first enrolling are presumed to be domiciled for tuition purposes; those with less than 12 months are presumed not to be and must prove domicile.
Rutgers
Factors Considered in Determining Residency for Tuition Purposes (Rutgers catalog, 2019-2021; follows N.J.A.C. 9A:5)Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
The newest Rutgers catalog edition that prints the state residency rule; the 12-month presumption comes from N.J.A.C. 9A:5-1.1.
View source - Dependent students are presumed to share their parents' domicile. A student from another state who enrolls in a New Jersey school is presumed to be in New Jersey for education, not to have set up a domicile.
Rutgers
Factors Considered in Determining Residency for Tuition Purposes (Rutgers catalog, 2019-2021; follows N.J.A.C. 9A:5)Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
The newest Rutgers catalog edition that prints the state residency rule; the 12-month presumption comes from N.J.A.C. 9A:5-1.1.
View source - For state grants, a dependent student and parent (or an independent student) must have lived in New Jersey for at least 12 consecutive months before the term; students who attended a New Jersey high school for at least three years can qualify under P.L. 2018, c. 12.
HESAA
Tuition Aid Grant (TAG)Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA)- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
The college's residency office makes the final decision. More on costs: What college costs.
State financial aid
Run by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA). Federal aid (Pell Grants, loans) starts with the FAFSA: FAFSA, grants and loans.
Tuition Aid Grant (TAG)
Need-based help with tuition at approved New Jersey colleges in every sector (public, private, two-year and four-year); award amounts depend on the type of college. Summer TAG is available for students who received TAG in the prior fall or spring. HESAA
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Licensing boards
Lawyers, doctors, CPAs and nurses need a New Jersey license from a state board, even after passing a national exam. These are the boards that grant it.
| License | New Jersey board | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer How bar admission works | New Jersey Board of Bar Examiners | Uniform Bar Exam (MBE, MEE and MPT). MPRE required (passing score 75). NextGen UBE from July 2028. NCBENew Jersey: bar admission informationNational Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
Bar admission agency, the NCBE exams the jurisdiction requires, MPRE passing score and NextGen UBE plans. NCBE advises checking the agency itself for the latest rules. View source |
| Physician How a medical license works | New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners | USMLE (M.D.) or COMLEX-USA (D.O.) FSMBContact a State Medical BoardFederation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)
Directory of every state's medical (and separate osteopathic) board. fsmb.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 14 Sep 2026; each board link was then opened on 22 Oct 2026, through the board's site or, where it blocks reads from India, its latest archive capture. View source |
| CPA How the CPA license works | New Jersey State Board of Accountancy | Uniform CPA Examination NASBAState Boards of AccountancyNational Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
Directory of the 55 boards of accountancy. nasba.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 15 Oct 2026; board links that had moved were replaced with the board's current page, opened on 22 Oct 2026. View source |
| Registered nurse How the RN license works | New Jersey Board of Nursing | NCLEX-RN · Nurse Licensure Compact member since Nov. 15, 2021 NCSBNContact New Jersey Board of NursingNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
NCSBN / NLCNLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact)
|
Engineering, teaching, real estate, cosmetology and the trades have their own boards: all professional licenses · trades and apprenticeships.
State and city government jobs
Federal jobs are on USAJOBS; state and city governments hire through their own systems.
NJ Civil Service Commission job announcements
New Jersey Civil Service Commission
- Choose an open competitive or promotional job announcement and apply through the CSC Online Application System.
- Complete the application in full: the review of your application may be the only basis for your eligibility and ranking on the eligible list, and you must meet every requirement by the announcement's closing date.
Source: NJ CSC
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Police, fire and other public-safety routes: Public Service & Safety hub.
Registered apprenticeship
New Jersey has no State Apprenticeship Agency: the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers programs here. California is listed under both OA and SAA.Apprenticeship.gov
- New Jersey Apprenticeship Office (U.S. Department of Labor)New Jersey has no recognized State Apprenticeship Agency: the U.S. Department of Labor's New Jersey Apprenticeship Office registers and oversees programs.
- Trades and apprenticeshipsElectrician, plumber, HVAC and other trade routes on this site
Source: Apprenticeship.gov
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Where these facts come from
Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.
- Annual Estimates of Resident Population Change for the United States, States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and State Rankings: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025 (NST-EST2025-POPCHG2020-2025, CSV) · U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025) checked 2026-10-21
- New Jersey: bar admission information · National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact a State Medical Board · Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) checked 2026-10-22
- State Boards of Accountancy · National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact New Jersey Board of Nursing · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) checked 2026-10-22
- NLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF) · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact) checked 2026-10-07
- N.J.A.C. 6A:8-5.1, Graduation requirements (Standards and Assessment chapter, PDF) · New Jersey Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- Class of 2027 High School Graduation Assessment Requirements · New Jersey Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- Assessment: statewide assessments administered each year · New Jersey Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- NJSLA-Adaptive and NJGPA-Adaptive Frequently Asked Questions · New Jersey Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- About Rutgers University · Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey checked 2026-10-22
- New Jersey Council of County Colleges · New Jersey Council of County Colleges checked 2026-10-22
- Factors Considered in Determining Residency for Tuition Purposes (Rutgers catalog, 2019-2021; follows N.J.A.C. 9A:5) · Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey checked 2026-10-22
- Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) · Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) checked 2026-10-22
- Civil Service Commission: Job Announcements · New Jersey Civil Service Commission checked 2026-10-22
- State Offices: Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agency contacts by state · U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship checked 2026-10-21
- The Apprenticeship System: Office of Apprenticeship (OA) and recognized State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) states · U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship checked 2026-10-21