Gov. Phil Murphy wants $50 million to send low-income students in New Jersey to any four-year, public college in the state tuition-free for two years.

Murphy on Tuesday proposed paying for students’ first two years at Rutgers, Rowan or other public universities during his 2020 state budget address. Families would need to make less than $65,000 annually to qualify, and New Jersey would pay whatever tuition costs remain after a student’s state and federal grants are exhausted.

Murphy’s pitch, part of his progressive vision for state government, is called “The Garden State Guarantee,” the Democratic governor said. It builds on the state’s current program that covers the cost of community college for eligible families after state and federal grants.

The proposal puts New Jersey among a growing number of states trying to offer a tuition-free college education to low- and middle-income families. The concept allows the state to offer a big dream for a relatively small investment.

Low-income students already receive state and federal grants that cover much of the cost of community college tuition. In the spring 2019 pilot program, New Jersey sent 5,424 students to “free” community college for a total of roughly $6 million, according to state data.

State and federal grants also make a dent in the cost of four-year public colleges, though it’s unclear how much the state projects it will cost to send students to Rutgers or other universities.

Murphy said he will offer more details at a Wednesday announcement at William Paterson University.

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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