Old Queens, the oldest building at Rutgers University
There are a large number of higher education programs in the state of New Jersey. There are currently 31 four-year colleges and universities in New Jersey. In addition, there are nineteen county colleges offering two-year programs and serving the state's 21 counties.
Among the original thirteen American colonies, New Jersey is unique in that it was the only colony in which two colleges were founded before the proclamation of independence was proclaimed in 1776. Of the nine colonial colleges, New Jersey owned the College of New Jersey, now called Princeton University, founded in 1746, and Queen's College, now known as Rutgers University (or officially as Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey), founded in 1766. Princeton was founded by the New Light Presbyterians founded. Rutgers was founded by ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church.
