Rankings and Distinctions

Fairleigh Dickinson University is proud of the many recognitions it earns on a regular basis. Below are a few recent highlights.

• Fairleigh Dickinson University is ranked #6 in Best Value Schools in the north by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges 2025. The University is also ranked by U.S. News among the best in Undergraduate Teaching Programs (#6), Most Innovative Schools (#13) and the Top Performers on Social Mobility (#13). In addition, the University’s undergraduate programs in business, computer science, engineering, nursing and psychology were named among the top in the nation. The University is also ranked among the Best Colleges for Veterans (#26).
• Fairleigh Dickinson University’s graduate programs in nursing (master’s), part-time MBA, pharmacy, public affairs, social work, psychology and clinical psychology are ranked among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report’s Grad School Rankings (2024). 
• Fairleigh Dickinson University is ranked among “America’s Best Colleges” by Forbes magazine (2024).
• Fairleigh Dickinson University was named among “The Best Colleges For Your Money 2020″ by Money magazine. FDU was also named by Money among the Best Colleges in America (2020).
• AcademicInfluence.com (AI) ranked FDU the number four Best College in New Jersey and the top small college and top liberal arts institution in the state (2022).
• FDU is ranked #2 “Hidden Gem” in New Jersey by College Raptor (2024).
• Madison NJ, home of the Florham Campus, was named the #3 safest college town in America by SafeWise (2021).  

• Silberman College of Business is ranked among “The Best Business Schools” by Princeton Review (2023).
• FDU’s International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management has achieved prominent recognition citing its hospitality programs among the best nationally and globally. These include:
  • Ranked #8 for Best Hospitality and Hotel Management Schools in the world by CEOWORLD magazine (2024). 
  • Ranked #5 for Best Hospitality Management degree program in the country by Best Value Schools (2023-24) and #34 in the USA North America by Eduniversal (2022). 
  • Ranked #6 on TheBestSchools.org list of the nation’s top hospitality programs (2021). 
  • Ranked #23 for top Bachelor’s Hospitality management programs and #30 for top Master’s Hospitality management programs in the country by College Rank (2023). 
  • Ranked #34 for MS in Hospitality Management Studies by Eduniversal (2023). 
• The International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management is a member of Hotel Schools of Distinction (HSD). HSD is an international nonprofit organization based in the United States of America that accredits very high-quality hospitality schools and programs by measuring student learning outcomes against professional standards. Students graduating from HSD schools are awarded the HSD Visual Transcript™. This provides employers with concrete information about the relevant talent and competencies these graduates bring to their employers.
• Several Fairleigh Dickinson undergraduate programs earned top spots in the latest PLEXUSS rankings. Creative Writing was ranked first in the state, while Marketing, Film and Graphic Design were ranked second. Electrical Engineering and Engineering were ranked #7 and #8 respectively, while Criminal Justice was #10 and Finance was #11 (2023).  
• According to the 2023 Social Mobility Index produced by CollegeNET, FDU is the top-ranked private institution in New Jersey in terms of providing opportunity and social mobility for its graduates.  
• According to the Equality of Opportunity Project report on the role of colleges in intergenerational mobility (2017), Fairleigh Dickinson University was ranked near the top among universities in the state and nation for helping students move from lower income brackets to the middle and upper class. In fact, 24 percent of students who graduate FDU move up by two or more income quintiles. FDU ranks 80th for mobility out of 578 selective private colleges nationwide.
• FDU’s Silberman College of Business is recognized as an “Excellent Business School” worldwide by an Eduniversal survey (2023). Eduniversal also has ranked FDU master’s degree programs among the best in North America. These include Marketing (#13), Accounting (#25), MBA (#30), International Business (#34), Information Systems Management (#38), Hospitality Management Studies (#41), Communication (#43), Executive MBA (#49), Pharmaceutical Management (#86), and Entrepreneurship (#118). 
• FDU is ranked among the Top Accounting Degree Programs by NJBiz (2023).
• Master’s Programs Guide ranked FDU as one of the 10 Best Master’s Programs in Taxation (2022).
• FDU’s Peter Sammartino School of Education is ranked #4 for Best Doctor of Education in Higher Education in the country and #24 for Best Secondary Education Program in the country by Best Value Schools (2021). 
• FDU’s Wroxton College was named the #2 study abroad program for academics in the 2022 Go Overseas Community Choice Awards.

• Best Value Schools ranked FDU one of the 25 Best PhD in Forensic Psychology Programs (2023). In addition, the Master’s in Forensic Psychology was ranked #8 in the nation by CollegeRank (2020). GreatValueColleges.net ranked FDU 19th on its list of the 30 Most Affordable Master’s in Forensic Psychology Programs (2020).
• The Master of Health Science is ranked #8 in the Top 15 Master’s in Clinical Research Programs by Social Work Degree Guide (2021) and also is ranked #16 in the country by Best Accredited Colleges (2021).
• Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine ranked FDU’s Metropolitan Campus among the top 100 American universities for Hispanics earning their first master’s degrees (2023). FDU’s Latino Promise and HACER programs were named Examples in Excelencia by Excelencia in Education (2022). 
• FDU’s nursing program is ranked #6 for Master of Science in Nursing – Information Systems in the country by Best Value Schools (2021). RegisteredNursing.org ranked FDU’s nursing program #2 in New Jersey (2022). The Henry P. Becton School of Nursing and Allied Health is ranked among the top U.S. nursing schools (#62 in the Mid-Atlantic region) by Nursing Schools Almanac (2022). Also, nursingprocess.org ranked FDU as one of the top RN to BSN programs (#5) in New Jersey (2023).
• Learn.org named Fairleigh Dickinson University #21 in the 50 Best Computer Science Degrees (2020–2021).
• FDU is ranked #12 on the GradReports list of the 25 Best Colleges for Criminology (2020).
• FDU is ranked #3 in New Jersey for Animation (2023) and in the top 25 nationally (#24) among schools offering an animation-related BA by Animation Career Review (2022).
• FDU is ranked #6 out of the top ten Graphic Design school programs in New Jersey (2022), by Animation Career Review (2023).
• FDU is ranked #28 by CollegeRank for Best Bachelor’s in Film in the country (2021).
• The University has the Best Online Master’s Programs in New Jersey according to Online Masters Colleges (2024).
• Intelligent.com ranked FDU #3 in Best Online Master’s in Creative Writing Degree Programs (2024), #11 in Top Online Master’s in Digital Marketing Degree Programs and #27 in Best Online Master’s in Homeland Security Degree Programs (2023).  
• Intelligent.com ranked FDU among the Best Online Master’s in Electrical Engineering programs at #16 in the country and among the Best in the Northeast (2021). Intelligent.com also ranked FDU’s online programs #9 among the best in New Jersey (2024)
• FDU was ranked the #35 Best Affordable Online Master’s in Computer Engineering program by Master’s Program Guide (2023).
• FDU’s cybersecurity master’s program is ranked #18 in Cybersecurity Guide’s 2024 rankings.
• FDU was re-designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education through 2026 by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security.
• Value Colleges, an independent online guide to the best values in undergraduate and graduate education, named FDU among Top 50 Best Pre-College Summer Programs (2021).
• Graduates of FDU rank in the top 20 percent of earners among the nation’s colleges and universities, in a PayScale College Salary Report based on earnings after graduation, mid-career earnings and job satisfaction.