Rutgers , The State University of New Jersey ( also known as Rutgers University ) , is the largest institution for higher education in the state of New Jersey . It was originally chartered as Queen 's College in 1766 and is the eighth-oldest college in the United States . Rutgers , The State University of New Jersey is a colonial chartered college ( 1766 ) , a land-grant institution ( 1864 ) , and a state university ( 1945\/1956 ) .