What Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus is like

What it's like

Fairleigh Dickinson University's Metropolitan Campus is an urban, career-focused institution located near New York City with a diverse, commuter-heavy student body. With approximately 5,690 undergraduates and 2,355 graduate students, the campus emphasizes professional preparation and accessibility. The campus spans Teaneck and Hackensack along the Hackensack River, creating a pragmatic, forward-looking environment oriented toward workforce development and practical skill-building.

Academic feel

The Metropolitan Campus has a greater emphasis on business and professional majors compared to FDU's Florham counterpart. The university offers more than 100 degree programs across the Silberman College of Business, Maxwell Becton College of Liberal Arts and Education, and specialized schools including nursing, pharmacy, hospitality and tourism management, and engineering. Graduate programs span doctorate-level offerings in pharmacy, nursing practice, and clinical psychology alongside master's degrees in business, public administration, and global affairs. The campus is ranked 44th among regional universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report.

Social life

The campus hosts over 140 student clubs and organizations across FDU's two New Jersey campuses, with the Student Government Association serving as the governing body. Greek life is integrated into campus culture through numerous national fraternities and sororities. Approximately 1,000 students live on campus in residence halls, and on-campus housing is associated with higher grades, better retention, and four-year graduation rates. The campus features multiple dining venues including the main cafeteria, Bridge Café overlooking the Hackensack River, and Dickinson Café, with flexible meal plans accommodating various dietary preferences.

What you should consider

The Metropolitan Campus serves students seeking career-oriented education with strong professional networks in the New York City region. About 21% of the student population are minority and international students, indicating a global and culturally diverse community. The campus appeals to working professionals and part-time students through flexible scheduling and adult education pathways. Students pursuing business, nursing, pharmacy, and healthcare careers will find concentrated resources and specialized schools designed for their fields.

Strengths

• NCAA Division I athletics, with the men's basketball team achieving a historic March 2023 upset win over 1-seed Purdue as a 16 seed in the NCAA tournament.[1]
• Silberman College of Business offers AACSB-accredited graduate and undergraduate degrees and was ranked among the top 295 business schools in the country by The Princeton Review in 2014.[1]
• Proximity to New York City providing students with access to major metropolitan employment, internship, and networking opportunities.[2]
• New Jersey's first school of pharmacy at a private institution, opened in 2012 and the first pharmacy school to open in the state in over 120 years.[1]
• Strong graduate programs including Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Nursing Practice, PhD in clinical psychology, and Master of Public Administration, serving nearby consular and diplomatic staff.[1]
• Metropolitan Library holds the Columbia Pictures Archive, a collection of over 230 films on 16mm donated to FDU in the 1980s.[1]

Recent news

In March 2023, the FDU men's basketball team became the second team in NCAA history to upset a 1 seed as a 16 seed, defeating Purdue in the Division I men's basketball tournament—a landmark achievement that brought national attention to the Metropolitan Campus Knights. Multiple FDU students and alumni participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held in New York and New Jersey, volunteering and working in roles ranging from hospitality and technical support to event management and fan operations.