Survey: Majority of New Jersey residents and businesses view Rutgers favorably, presenter says

Pat, the poll presenter, told the Rutgers Board of Trustees that a statewide resident survey finds Rutgers is the college New Jerseyans name most often and that large majorities hold favorable views of the university. “Rutgers is right there at the in their frontal lobe, when they think of higher education,” Pat said, summarizing an open-ended awareness question.

The presenter cited several headline figures: about two-thirds of New Jersey residents named Rutgers when asked to name a college in the Tristate area; 80% reported being familiar with Rutgers and 77% expressed a favorable view. When asked to compare Rutgers with peer institutions, 60% ranked Rutgers above its peers and 22% called it “one of the best universities they know,” Pat said.

Pat said business respondents were even more positive: 94% of surveyed businesses gave Rutgers a favorable rating and 79% said Rutgers contributes to the state’s economic vitality. Among firms, 32% currently employ Rutgers graduates and another 27% had done so in the past; employers who hire Rutgers alumni were more likely to rate the university highly.

On Big Ten membership, Pat reported a plurality view: 39% said Big Ten affiliation helps Rutgers’ reputation for quality, 8% said it hurts and 42% had no opinion. He also said mission priorities ranked highest for residents and businesses alike: preparing students for good jobs, helping students become critical thinkers, and providing opportunities for students with limited resources.

Board members and online attendees asked about sampling limits and next steps for communication. Pat acknowledged some subgroup limits — for example, the survey did not include high school students — and said the team will work with Rutgers’ communications staff on targeted outreach and donor-facing materials to present the findings.