How hard is it to get into medical school in New Jersey?
The five New Jersey schools reporting both numbers took 29,270 applications for 829 seats, about 35 applications for every place. Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM) has the shortest odds of the group at 32 applications per seat.
| School | Applications | Class size | Applications per seat | Share who enrol | Median MCAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM) | 7,011 | 216 | 32 | 3.1% | 506 |
| Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School | 5,527 | 165 | 33 | 3.0% | 513 |
| Rutgers New Jersey Medical School | 5,904 | 174 | 34 | 2.9% | 515 |
| Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine | 5,797 | 162 | 36 | 2.8% | 514 |
| Cooper Medical School of Rowan University | 5,031 | 112 | 45 | 2.2% | 511 |
Share who enrol is the class divided by the applications, so it sits below a school's acceptance rate, because schools admit more people than take up a place. It is the closest figure the published numbers support.
These are the odds across everyone who applied, so a score at or above a school's median shortens them considerably. The schools that admit at the lowest medians nationally and your own chances of getting in both go further into it.
Medical schools in New Jersey at a glance
All five medical schools in New Jersey are below, with median MCAT and GPA, tuition in and out of state, class size and the share of applicants who reach interview. Each figure is the most recent one the school has published.
2026–27 cycle data. Last updated 30 August 2026.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| School | Degree | Apply through | Founded | Median MCAT | Median GPA | In-state tuition | Out-of-state tuition | Class size | Secondary essays | Interview rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutgers New Jersey Medical School | MD | AMCAS | 1954 | 515 | 3.84 | $50,246 | $77,090 | 174 | 9 | 25.9% |
| Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine | MD | AMCAS | 2015 | 514 | 3.84 | $80,203 | $80,203 | 162 | 3 | 20.7% |
| Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School | MD | AMCAS | 1961 | 513 | 3.78 | $49,490 | $76,334 | 165 | 9 | 21.1% |
| Cooper Medical School of Rowan University | MD | AMCAS | 2012 | 511 | 3.83 | n/a | $73,196 | 112 | 4 | 14.8% |
| Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM) | do | AACOMAS | 1976 | 506 | 3.57 | $64,254 | $64,254 | 216 | n/a | na |
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What medical schools in New Jersey look for
Median MCAT across New Jersey runs from 506 at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM) to 515 at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Where your score sits in that spread shapes which of them to apply to, so application, so check it before you build a list. What counts as a good MCAT score sets out the national picture, and the percentile tables show what each scaled score means.
Between 3.57 and 3.84 is where median GPA sits. A GPA below that band is still in the conversation with a strong MCAT, and a single cycle is long enough to raise an MCAT score. If you have already tested, the retake calculator prices what another attempt would take, and the score calculator converts an AAMC practice test into a scaled score.
For residents, tuition starts at $49,490 at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and reaches $80,203 at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. Medical school tuition across the US and Canada puts those numbers in context.
They do not all use the same application. It is AMCAS for four, AACOMAS for one. Applying across services means duplicating work, so check which one each school on your list takes before you start.
Secondaries are the next hurdle after the primary. The four schools here we hold prompts for ask 25 essays between them, from 3 up to 9 at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Our secondary prompt database carries the wording of every one for the 2026-27 cycle, so you can draft before they arrive.
One of the five awards a DO alongside the MD programs. Both lead to licensure and residency, and DO programs generally admit at lower median scores, which is why they belong on most lists. The medical schools that admit at the lowest medians covers that ground nationally.
Between them these programs read about 29,270 applications a year for roughly 829 seats, near enough 35 applications per place. Those totals double-count anyone applying to more than one school, so treat the ratio as a measure of how much reading each committee does rather than as your odds. It is the reason a screening score matters before anyone reads a word of your essays.
On the US News research ranking, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School places highest at 68. Rankings shift little from year to year and matter far less than fit, funding and where you want to train, though they do shape how competitive a given cycle feels.
Free checklist
New Jersey's medical schools sit between a 506 and a 515 median MCAT. The checklist covers everything else your application is graded on.
Every phase of the application cycle, what is due when, and what to have ready before you open AMCAS.
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Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Competitiveness: 5.1/10
Founded in 1954, Rutgers NJMS is New Jersey’s first med school, blending top-tier research, real-world training, and a mission to serve. Based in Newark with NYC nearby, it’s where future doctors learn, lead, and make an impact.
Median GPA
3.84
Median MCAT
515
Location
Newark
Degree
MD
In-State Tuition
$50,246
Out-of-State Tuition
$77,090
Class Size
174
US News Ranking (Research)
74
US News Ranking (Primary Care)
94-124
Total Applicants
5,904
Secondaries Required
Interview Rate
25.9%
Interview Format
early decision interview, regular decision interview
Address
185 S Orange Avenue, 07103
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Competitiveness: 4.6/10
Founded in 1961, Rutgers RWJMS blends cutting-edge research, hands-on training, and community impact. Based in central New Jersey, this public powerhouse prepares future doctors to lead, innovate, and change lives.
Median GPA
3.78
Median MCAT
513
Location
New Brunswick
Degree
MD
In-State Tuition
$49,490
Out-of-State Tuition
$76,334
Class Size
165
US News Ranking (Research)
68
US News Ranking (Primary Care)
94-124
Total Applicants
5,527
Secondaries Required
Interview Rate
21.1%
Interview Format
mmi
Address
675 Hoes Lane W Piscataway, 08854
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Competitiveness: 3.3/10
Founded in 2012, CMSRU is a public, mission-driven med school in Camden, NJ, offering hands-on training at Cooper University Health Care to shape future leaders in medicine.
Median GPA
3.83
Median MCAT
514
Location
Camden
Degree
MD
In-State Tuition
$46,99
Out-of-State Tuition
$73,196
Class Size
112
US News Ranking (Research)
95-124
US News Ranking (Primary Care)
94-124
Total Applicants
5,031
Secondaries Required
Interview Rate
14.8%
Interview Format
One Interview with two interviewers
Address
401 Broadway, 08103
Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
Competitiveness: 3.2/10
Founded in 2015, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine trains humanistic, community-focused physicians through hands-on learning at New Jersey’s largest health network.
Median GPA
3.84
Median MCAT
515
Location
Nutley
Degree
MD
In-State Tuition
$80,203
Out-of-State Tuition
$80,203
Class Size
162
US News Ranking (Research)
unranked
US News Ranking (Primary Care)
unranked
Total Applicants
5,797
Secondaries Required
Interview Rate
20.7%
Interview Format
one on one
Address
123 Metro Boulevard, 07110
Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM)
Competitiveness: 1.3/10
Founded in 1976, RowanSOM is a public leader in osteopathic medicine, blending holistic care with innovation and hands-on experience in Stratford, NJ.
Median GPA
3.57
Median MCAT
505
Location
Stratford
Degree
do
In-State Tuition
$64,254
Out-of-State Tuition
$64,254
Class Size
216
US News Ranking (Research)
95-124
US News Ranking (Primary Care)
unranked
Total Applicants
7,011
Secondaries Required
Interview Rate
na
Interview Format
board panel interview
Address
1 Medical Center Drive, 08084
Common questions about medical schools in New Jersey
How many medical schools are in New Jersey?
Five medical schools. Four award an MD and one awards a DO. Every one is listed in the table above with its median MCAT, median GPA and tuition.
What MCAT score do you need for medical school in New Jersey?
Median MCAT runs from 506 to 515, so a score at or above 513 puts you in range at about half of them. A median is the midpoint rather than a cut-off, and roughly half of each admitted class scored below it. What counts as a good MCAT score goes through how to read those numbers, and our guide to raising a score covers how to raise one.
What GPA do you need for medical school in New Jersey?
Medians land between 3.57 and 3.84. A GPA under that band is workable when the MCAT is strong, which is the part of the application still open to change once your transcript is fixed.
How much does medical school cost in New Jersey?
In-state tuition runs from $49,490 a year at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School to $80,203 at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, before living costs. Tuition across the US and Canada sets those against the national range.
Which New Jersey medical school is easiest to get into?
By median MCAT, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM) admits at the lowest score of the group at 506. That makes it the most forgiving on numbers, though secondaries, interviews and mission fit still decide the outcome. Our secondary prompt database carries the essays each school asks for.
What is the acceptance rate at medical schools in New Jersey?
Schools here report roughly 29,270 applications against about 829 seats, which works out near one place for every 35 applications. That is not a per-applicant acceptance rate, because most people apply to fifteen or twenty schools and get counted at each one. Read it as a measure of how crowded each committee's desk is, and as the reason a screening MCAT and GPA come first. Individual schools publish their own rates, and the in-state and out-of-state figures usually differ sharply.
Which application service do New Jersey medical schools use?
Amcas for four, aacomas for one. The table above lists it per school, so you can group your list by service before you start writing.
What secondary essays do New Jersey medical schools ask for?
Across the four we hold prompts for, 25 in total, ranging from 3 to 9 at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Secondaries arrive within days of a verified application and the turnaround runs to about two weeks, so prewriting is the difference between a considered essay and a rushed one. Our secondary prompt database carries the wording of every one for the 2026-27 cycle.
Are there DO schools in New Jersey?
Yes. Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM) awards a DO rather than an MD. Osteopathic programs lead to the same licensure and compete for the same residencies, and they generally admit at lower median MCAT and GPA, so leaving them off a list narrows your options for no good reason. The table above shows their numbers beside the MD programs.
Can you get into a medical school in New Jersey with a low GPA?
It happens, and the MCAT is usually what carries it. With medians between 3.57 and 3.84, a GPA a few tenths under still gets read when the test score sits at or above the median and the rest of the application is strong. An upward trend across your transcript reads better than a flat average, and a post-bacc or a master's is the standard route when the gap is wider than that. Raising an MCAT score is the faster of the two levers.
When should you apply to medical school in New Jersey?
AMCAS opens in May and submitting in the first weeks of June is the strongest position, because most schools review on a rolling basis. Work back from that to pick a test date on the AAMC calendar, leaving room for a retake if the first score comes in short.
Medical schools in other states
Every state in Northeast with a medical school, on the same figures: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont.
The medical school hub carries all 59, including the South, the Midwest, the West, Canada.
Where to go next
- Studying for the MCAT now? The live MCAT course runs one cohort at a time with 515+ scorers teaching it.
- Want one-on-one help? MCAT tutors in New Jersey are matched on the section costing you points, and our tutoring packages list what each one includes.
- Building an application rather than a score? Medical school admissions coaching covers the list, the essays and the interviews.
- Deciding whether to sit it again? The retake calculator gives you a verdict and a date.
- Just browsing? The free MCAT resources are a good place to start, and our reviews and student score stories show what the jumps look like.
- Looking beyond the medical schools in New Jersey? The medical school hub lists every state and province with a program.