New Jersey Law Mandates Transparency in Public Colleges, Requiring Degree Completion and Financial Reporting
Legislation signed into law requires NJ public universities and county colleges to publish student outcomes and fiscal audits online.
TRENTON — Legislation aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability across New Jersey’s public colleges and universities was signed into law on Friday, December 19, 2025, giving students and families clearer access to information about degree completion timelines, student outcomes, and institutional finances.
The new law, Bill A3581, sponsored by Linda Carter and Annette Quijano, requires New Jersey’s public institutions of higher education to publish key academic and fiscal metrics directly on their websites. Supporters say the measure will help prospective and current students make more informed decisions as they navigate the rising costs of higher education.
“This legislation will ensure that students and parents have clear access to the essential information they need to make the best decisions for their educational future,” Carter said in a statement. “By strengthening transparency across our public higher education institutions, we are empowering New Jersey families and supporting students as they evaluate their pathways to a degree.”
Under the law, four-year public colleges and universities must post the average time it takes students to complete each baccalaureate degree program. County colleges will also be required to publish student outcome measures for each associate degree program, using standards developed by the Secretary of Higher Education in consultation with the New Jersey Council of County Colleges.
Mark Tyler
Quijano said the legislation responds to growing concerns about affordability and accountability in higher education.
“When higher education is one of the biggest investments a family will ever make, transparency is not optional,” Quijano said. “This bill reinforces the public’s ability to evaluate the value of a degree and reaffirms our responsibility to maintain high standards of fiscal stewardship.”
In addition to academic reporting, the law expands fiscal transparency requirements. Public institutions of higher education must now post their annual fiscal monitoring reports and any comprehensive audits required under state law. Colleges and universities will also be required to submit direct website links to these documents to the Secretary of Higher Education each year and provide a clear, easy-to-understand summary for the public.
State lawmakers say the new requirements are designed to make higher education data more accessible, allowing students, families, and taxpayers to better assess both educational outcomes and financial oversight at New Jersey’s public colleges.
The law takes effect immediately, with institutions expected to begin updating their websites to comply with the new reporting standards.
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