Top Colleges in New York
Updated: May 7, 2024
By: Colleges of Distinction Staff
Colleges of Distinction carefully selects top schools in New York that prioritize personalized education tailored to students’ interests. These institutions are chosen through a thorough vetting and interview process, ensuring their commitment to excellence in key areas such as Student Engagement, Teaching, Community, and Outcomes.
These schools come in various sizes, costs, locations, and academic offerings, but they all share a strong dedication to the undergraduate experience. We intentionally include a diverse range of public and private universities, giving students and parents multiple options to consider. Rest assured, all of these schools possess the essential qualities for a rewarding undergraduate education.
Adelphi University
Garden City, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Adelphi University provides students with a personalized education that fully prepares them for successful, fulfilling careers. Adelphi students graduate with the knowledge and ability to compete and excel in their chosen fields and address the needs of their communities. Internships, many of them paid, are central to an Adelphi education and help students refine their career objectives, make connections, and gain work experience.
Adelphi has students from 41 states and 58 countries, providing an environment that encourages cultural and personal growth. New York City is a short train ride away, so students further benefit from the city’s rich intellectual and social opportunities.
HIGH-IMPACT LEARNING
Internship opportunities are available for every type of student, no matter what they decide to study. Through the signature Jaggar Community Fellows Program, students are paired with nonprofits across Long Island and New York City for paid internships throughout 10 weeks during the summer.
Acceptance rate 75% • Net price $29,821 • SAT Range 1060-1250 • Students submitting SAT scores 81%
Total Undergrad Population 7,584 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 72% • Retention rate 82% • Student-to-faculty ratio 12:1
Baruch College
New York, NY ‧ Public ‧ 4-year
Baruch College is a diverse and inclusive campus in the heart of New York City. With three colleges, around 30 majors, and a student body representing 160 countries, Baruch offers a space for people of all interests and backgrounds. Baruch equips students to be active in their classroom, their community, and their city as they apply their coursework to the improvement of their community.
Baruch leverages its Big Apple location and incredible diversity to offer students an experience that broadens their worldview and prepares them for any and all career paths. Students can explore their academic interests, travel the world, and plan their next step.
THE BARUCH PATHWAY
A modern core curriculum requires flexibility, and Baruch College students enjoy the option to chart their own course through Pathways at Baruch. After getting the basics in math, science, and English, students are required to complete the flexible core, which works to expand each student’s worldview by offering courses in several areas. Students are exposed to courses on Creative Expression, U.S. and global cultures, the sciences, and philosophy and ethics. Baruch allows students to follow their interests while ensuring they leave college as well-rounded global citizens.
Acceptance rate 75% • Net price $29,821 • SAT Range 1060-1250 • Students submitting SAT scores 81%
Total Undergrad Population 7,584 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 72% • Retention rate 82% • Student-to-faculty ratio 12:1
Binghamton University
Binghamton, NY ‧ Public ‧ 4-year
Binghamton offers a wide array of personal and academic opportunities that range from international education to research initiatives. The University’s commitment to student success is of paramount importance, and students are given the tools they need to excel and make a difference.
INVOLVEMENT TRANSCRIPT
The Involvement Transcript is a record of all extracurricular activities during college. This is a great way for employers to see how students have been active outside the classroom. It’s important for students to include activities in which they’ve acted as a leader, a volunteer, or even as a member of an organization. Individuals can keep a record of their activities on B-engaged, a student portal for tracking events.
Acceptance rate 43% • Net price $19,061 • SAT Range 1290-1450 • Students submitting SAT scores 99%
Total Undergrad Population 18,148 • Setting Suburb • Public 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 82% • Retention rate 92% • Student-to-faculty ratio 19:1
Colgate University
Hamilton, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Join a vibrant community and make valuable connections at Colgate University. Colgate is a private university in Hamilton, New York.
Colgate’s mission is to provide a demanding, expansive, educational experience to a select group of diverse, talented, intellectually sophisticated students who are capable of challenging themselves, their peers, and their teachers in a setting that brings together living and learning. The purpose of the university is to develop wise, thoughtful, critical thinkers and perceptive leaders by challenging young men and women to fulfill their potential through residence in a community that values intellectual rigor and respects the complexity of human understanding.
Acceptance rate 27% • Net price $25,935 • SAT Range 1300-1470 • Students submitting SAT scores 57%
Total Undergrad Population 3,054 • Setting Town • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 91% • Retention rate 94% • Student-to-faculty ratio 9:1
Daemen University
Amherst, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Daemen is a student-centered University with dedicated, highly qualified faculty who value personalized teaching and intellectual excellence. The university prepares students for successful careers by offering rigorous academic programs that develop the liberal arts-based skills necessary for lifelong learning and intellectual growth.
Daemen is a private, non-sectarian, co-educational comprehensive university. It was founded in 1947 as Rosary Hill College by the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity. In 1976, the University became independent and non-sectarian.
LEADERSHIP
Daemen University’s LEADS Center serves as a clearinghouse for students who aspire to realize and develop their leadership skills. The LEADS program affords Daemen students the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to bring purpose, meaning, and integrity into their lives and the lives of others. It emphasizes lifelong learning through interdisciplinary programs that provide and encourage the development of the self, ultimately fostering inclusive, collaborative relationships. LEADS sponsors events and offers various sessions throughout the academic year.
Acceptance rate 62% • Net price $19,314
Total Undergrad Population 2,536 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 58% • Retention rate 79% • Student-to-faculty ratio 11:1
Dominican University New York
Orangeburg, NY ‧ Catholic ‧ 4-year
Since 1952, Dominican University New York has provided students with an environment that cultivates unique bonds and life-long relationships. It is a unique environment where the building of personal connections shares center stage with academics. There are many reasons why students from across the country and the world choose Dominican University New York. The small, personal classes translate into a highly individualized educational experience for each student. The University’s convenient location in the scenic Hudson Valley area, just 17 miles from New York City, feels like a home away from home.
YEAR-ROUND ACTIVITIES
There are many opportunities to become involved in the Dominican University New York community both on campus and off. Dominican University New York students participate in Alternate Spring Break in Mississippi to help rebuild damaged communities. They also engage in twice-yearly service trips to the Dominican Republic in which they live with rural families, teach school, and assist in building infrastructure. “Founders Week” and “Fire in the Sky” in the fall, as well as “Earth Week” in the spring, are traditions that bring the whole College community together. Faculty and staff vs. student softball games, Iron Chef Dominican, poetry slams, dances, and socials are a few other examples of campus activities found in this vibrant living and learning community.
Acceptance rate 75% • Net price $20,951
Total Undergrad Population 1,724 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 48% • Retention rate 73% • Student-to-faculty ratio 13:1
Fordham University
New York, NY ‧ Catholic ‧ 4-year
Picture Fordham as a laboratory where you can explore the deepest meaning and fullest measure of success. In the process you will acquire the knowledge, skills, confidence, and experience to succeed in your chosen field. Fordham offers you both the firm foundation and the competitive edge that will make you a leader at work and a success in your life.
TWO DISTINCTIVE CAMPUSES
With its two distinctive residential campuses—green and gothic Rose Hill, on 85 acres adjacent to the New York Botanical Garden and the Bronx Zoo; and cosmopolitan Lincoln Center, in the heart of Manhattan, across from the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts—Fordham offers students virtually unlimited possibilities for learning and personal growth. Students often say, “New York is my campus. Fordham is my school.”
UNIQUE ACADEMIC OFFERINGS
Special academic offerings include honors programs; study abroad; dual-degree programs with Fordham’s graduate schools; and pre-professional programs in law, medicine, and other health professions. Fordham’s G.L.O.B.E. international business program combines liberal arts and business courses, and prepares students for multinational careers. Undergraduate students often collaborate with faculty on original research, and they also work with faculty and staff to prepare to compete for Rhodes and Fulbright scholarships and other prestigious fellowships and scholarships.
Acceptance rate 53% • Net price $41,569 • SAT Range 1230-1410 • Students submitting SAT scores 72%
Total Undergrad Population 16,364 • Setting City: Large • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 83% • Retention rate 89% • Student-to-faculty ratio 13:1
Hamilton College
Clinton, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Hamilton’s open curriculum will allow you to choose courses that reflect your interests; however, with that freedom comes the responsibility to make informed decisions about your intellectual development. That’s why we don’t expect you to chart your course alone. Your faculty advisor and our ALEX (Advise, Learn, and EXperience) program will ensure your academic success, career preparation, experiential learning, and personal growth.
KNOW THYSELF
Socrates believed the first step to true wisdom is to “know thyself” because only then can one appreciate what one understands and what remains to be learned. Hamilton’s founders agreed. They chose those words to appear in Greek at the top of the College seal.
Today, more than 200 years later, that motto — Know Thyself — remains a guiding principle as Hamilton prepares students to become critical thinkers in order to address our world’s most pressing problems. For only after gaining a full appreciation of your strengths, skills, and interests can you make valuable contributions to society and achieve the professional success and personal satisfaction you seek.
Acceptance rate 18% • Net price $23,936 • SAT Range 1380-1510 • Students submitting SAT scores 43%
Total Undergrad Population 1,902 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 91% • Retention rate 92% • Student-to-faculty ratio 9:1
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Geneva, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Hobart and William Smith Colleges is a private institution in Geneva, New York. Students can connect in an average class size of 16 students.
HWS has always been leaders in experiential education — offering funding for guaranteed internship and research opportunities, innovative approaches to career preparation and best-in-class programs for global exploration.
Closely situated and interconnected, the HWS centers for research, action and thought allow students to complement their liberal arts and sciences studies with university-level opportunities and resources.
The centers create meaningful avenues for deep-dive exploration, interdisciplinary discovery, community-based learning and career development that help students grow intellectually, professionally and personally.
Acceptance rate 62% • Net price $38,247 • SAT Range 1180-1340 • Students submitting SAT scores 45%
Total Undergrad Population 1,833 • Setting Town • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 77% • Retention rate 81% • Student-to-faculty ratio 9:1
Hunter College
New York, NY ‧ Public ‧ 4-year
Located in the heart of New York City, Hunter draws on its energy and resources to provide students with diverse and enriching educational and career-building opportunities.
Intellectually exciting and rigorous, grounded in solid academic tradition but fully geared to the 21st century, Hunter’s programs prepare students for graduate and professional school, for a host of professions, and for the rich, productive life of the educated citizen.
Acceptance rate 40% • Net price $4,014 • SAT Range 1170-1340 • Students submitting SAT scores 95%
Total Undergrad Population 24,052 • Setting City: Large • Public 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 56% • Retention rate 84% • Student-to-faculty ratio 15:1
Iona University
New Rochelle, NY ‧ Catholic ‧ 4-year
In the tradition of the Christian Brothers and American Catholic higher education, Iona University is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence. Iona’s students, faculty, staff, and administrators embody the values of justice, peace, and service. Together, the Iona University community shares a mission to make a positive impact on the lives of others and to move the world.
Iona, located just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan, provides students the opportunity to learn in small classes and labs, work with accomplished teachers and scholars, and gain hands-on experiences that transform their views of the world and pave the way to exciting careers.
The Iona in Mission program offers students once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to immerse themselves in different cultures and ways of life. Iona in Mission is a way for students to exercise their passions to make profound differences in the world while testing their knowledge and broadening their experiences. These experiences are truly transformative for participants and often enrich and deepen their Iona education.
Acceptance rate 86% • Net price $29,103 • SAT Range 1000-1190 • Students submitting SAT scores 48%
Total Undergrad Population 3,590 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 60% • Retention rate 77% • Student-to-faculty ratio 15:1
Keuka College
Keuka Park, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Many students agree that attending Keuka College is like joining a new family. The growing campus community supports personal experiences in all facets of student life. Keuka College professors, accomplished contributors to their respective fields of scholarship, consider teaching their calling and guide every student in the work of educating her or himself.
Outside of the classroom, Keuka College teams play in the NCAA Division III level with an emphasis on student-athlete involvement. Students from more than twenty states and nine countries attend Keuka College, adding both diversity and experience to the campus. To be part of the Keuka College community is to develop a more intimate and appreciative relationship to the world.
TEAMWORKS!
Keuka College has a ropes course right on campus for those who love the outdoors, adventure, and physical challenges. Since 1989, Keuka College’s TeamWorks! adventure staff has been developing customized programs for school and college groups, nonprofits, church groups, and corporations to build teamwork and success strategies. Participants have the chance to explore the high and low elements of the Birkett Mills Challenge Course and a near-endless supply of ground, stationary, and portable activities. Those who join the TeamWorks! Adventure Club can participate in such off-campus adventures as whitewater rafting, rock climbing, cave diving, and more.
Acceptance rate 91% • Net price $26,126
Total Undergrad Population 1,535 • Setting Town • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 53% • Retention rate 65% • Student-to-faculty ratio 12:1
Long Island University
Brooklyn, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Founded in 1926, Long Island University educates and empowers men and women from all walks of life through a rigorous liberal arts education. As one of the largest private universities, LIU’s multiple campuses throughout New York and around the world offer more than 500 undergraduate degrees, all of which come with a liberal arts foundation that prepares students for lifelong success. This wide-reaching scope of LIU—across both physical locations as well as academic disciplines—firmly proves the success of its mission: Access and Excellence.
The University’s original downtown location offers students a place to cultivate continual growth and broaden their intercultural and education experience. LIU Brooklyn offers many opportunities for students to learn both in the classroom and out in the world. Students at LIU Brooklyn strive to become their best selves thanks to the plethora of activities available at their fingertips, whether they be academic or extracurricular. This lively college environment is designed for growth, success, and true fulfillment.
The growth of the University, as well as the growing population outside of the city, prompted the purchase of a new campus on Marjorie Merriweather Post’s estate. Located on the Gold Coast of Long Island, LIU Post is a small campus with big resources. Here, students enjoy the intimacy of a small school while learning and thriving with the resources of a metropolitan university. LIU Post further enriches the University’s assets with its world-renowned Tilles Center for the Performing Arts.
Acceptance rate 85% • Net price $25,031 • SAT Range 1080-1290 • Students submitting SAT scores 84%
Total Undergrad Population 15,066 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 41% • Retention rate 77% • Student-to-faculty ratio 10:1
Manhattan College
Riverdale, NY ‧ Catholic ‧ 4-year
With over 160 years of history, Manhattan College is at the forefront of outstanding, comprehensive colleges. Through the years, one constant has guided the College: the Lasallian Catholic heritage upon which it was built. Christian Brothers and lay teachers alike have educated generations of leaders with five programs in the arts, business, education, engineering, the sciences, and over 40 major fields of study for virtually any chosen profession. A low student-faculty ratio allows students to receive individual attention and support, providing them with the knowledge they need to succeed in both the classroom and in the workforce.
There’s no other education quite like this, created in the spirit of the man who invented modern teaching, St. John Baptist de La Salle. The achievement, humanity, opportunity, and community of innovative Lasallian education has been the passionate mission of Manhattan College since 1853.
Acceptance rate 78% • Net price $32,044
Total Undergrad Population 3,965 • Setting City: Large • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 70% • Retention rate 83% • Student-to-faculty ratio 11:1
Manhattanville University
Purchase, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Manhattanville University is a small, private liberal arts institution dedicated to academic excellence, purposeful education, and social justice. Located 30 miles from New York City on a 100-acre suburban campus in the heart of bustling Westchester County, Manhattanville enables easy access to robust entertainment offerings, educational resources, and business opportunities for its primarily residential and diverse student body. The College serves approximately 1,500 undergraduate students and 1,000 graduate students from more than 44 countries and 33 states.
ACADEMIC VARIETY
In the interest of making the college experience as worthwhile as possible, Manhattanville University offers a variety of dual, student-designed, and interdisciplinary majors. What’s more, students may cross-register with SUNY Purchase so that they can make use of both schools’ resources.
Manhattanville’s standalone academic programs are just as exciting. For example, the Political Science department and the Sociology department work with the Connie Hogarth Center for Social Action to organize rallies and host an educational film and lecture series. This is an excellent way to make education tangible and dynamic.
Acceptance rate 90% • Net price $24,499
Total Undergrad Population 2,408 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 64% • Retention rate 80% • Student-to-faculty ratio 10:1
Molloy University
Rockville Centre, NY ‧ Catholic ‧ 4-year
Molloy University, an independent Catholic institution in Rockville Centre, was founded in 1955. The University serves a student population of approximately 4,900 undergraduate and graduate students. Molloy students can earn degrees in a variety of outstanding academic programs, including nursing, business, education, social work, music therapy, computer studies, and many more.
OUTSTANDING PROGRAMS
Molloy students can earn degrees in a variety of outstanding academic programs, including the liberal arts, social and natural sciences, nursing, business, education, social work, speech therapy, music therapy, and many more.
New programs include a New Media major, the Molloy/CAP21 B.F.A. program in musical theatre, and a four-year degree in Nuclear Medicine Technology. Additionally, the Business Division features classes taught by CEOs, CFOs, and other senior leaders from the business world.
Molloy’s Nursing and Education programs are well-known even beyond the New York metro region. The University has also earned recognition for its treatment of those with autism, with the music therapy and speech therapy programs providing tremendous support in that area.
Acceptance rate 74% • Net price $27,454 • SAT Range 1080-1250 • Students submitting SAT scores 91%
Total Undergrad Population 5,115 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 72% • Retention rate 88% • Student-to-faculty ratio 10:1
Nazareth University
Rochester, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Innovative, student centered, and committed to excellence, Nazareth University prepares students for lifelong success on its classic, welcoming suburban campus. Its location in the preeminent college town of Rochester, NY, means that students are situated perfectly in a community of academic, personal, and professional opportunities.
Naz offers over 60 majors across disciplines, from the fine arts and humanities to the social, natural, and health sciences. All students are immersed in an experience-driven core curriculum that teaches them to put their studies into action, all while building community and forming relationships that will last a lifetime.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
There’s no better way to prepare for a job after college than to get hands-on experience during college. That’s why Nazareth University ensures that every student completes a minimum amount of experiential learning on campus or in the surrounding Rochester community and abroad. Guided by the principles of reflection, awareness, and integration, students of all majors are able to find a way to see their coursework play out in the real world.
Experiential learning pathways at Nazareth can take many forms, whether they be through service-learning, internships, research, clinical experiences, or any of the ever-growing opportunities offered. Every student learns how to reflect on their experiences, grow a budding network, and explore their values and curiosities.
Acceptance rate 76% • Net price $31,521
Total Undergrad Population 2,791 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 71% • Retention rate 85% • Student-to-faculty ratio 9:1
New York Institute of Technology
Old Westbury and New York City, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Students today aren’t content with status-quo lectures and classes. They want an active, hands-on education that will propel them into the real world. NYIT (New York Institute of Technology) responds to its students’ passion for discovery, creativity, and collaboration by providing them with a modern education that leads to rewarding careers in fields ranging from medicine, life sciences, and healthcare to computer science, engineering, and business—and even to digital arts, architecture, and interior design. The moment a student enrolls at NYIT, their potential to succeed expands thanks to an educational approach that is equally strong in up-to-the-minute academics and hands-on career preparation.
MAKER/DOER CULTURE
“NYIT’s ‘maker/doer’ culture fosters invention, innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurship as necessary elements of a modern college education,” said NYIT President Hank Foley. “Most importantly, our students learn what we like to call ‘critical creativity,’ a special mindset that combines analytical and rational critical thinking with creative and imaginative design thinking. By harnessing both sides of the brain, NYIT students learn how to identify, address, and solve challenges, as well as create opportunities that benefit humanity.”
Acceptance rate 75% • Net price $21,912 • SAT Range 1060-1290 • Students submitting SAT scores 90%
Total Undergrad Population 6,851 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 50% • Retention rate 76% • Student-to-faculty ratio 11:1
Niagara University
Niagara, NY ‧ Catholic ‧ 4-year
Founded in 1856, Niagara University is a comprehensive institution, blending the best of a liberal arts and professional education and grounded in a values-based, Catholic tradition. With more than 80 majors, nearly 60 minors, six pre-professional options, and 4+1 combined master’s programs, NU students are immersed in meaningful real-world learning opportunities from the moment they step foot on the university’s beautiful campus.
Niagara’s colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education, and Hospitality and Tourism Management offer programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral level. All four of the university’s academic colleges have received the highest rankings from the top accreditation boards in their fields. In addition, the university offers an award-winning Academic Exploration program for students who are undecided about their major.
Niagara offers a wide variety of entertainment options on- and off-campus, including trips to professional sporting events, local landmarks, concerts, malls, restaurants, and cultural festivals in the U.S. and nearby Ontario, Canada. And with 18 Division I athletics programs, there are numerous chances for NU students to put their “Purple Pride” on full display.
Acceptance rate 92% • Net price $19,172 • SAT Range 1015-1200 • Students submitting SAT scores 71%
Total Undergrad Population 3,544 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 77% • Retention rate 80% • Student-to-faculty ratio 11:1
SUNY Geneseo
Geneseo, NY ‧ Public ‧ 4-year
SUNY Geneseo takes intellectual minds, transforms them to see their abilities, and then shows them how to be socially responsible citizens. Students enrolled at Geneseo are part of a collaborative environment, where academics meet civic engagement.
FIRST YEAR ADIRONDACK ADVENTURE
The First Year Adirondack Adventure is an awesome excursion available to incoming freshman. Participants travel to Lake Placid and stay at a youth hostel for five days. The trip is a great transition into college. Many times, students are anxious about leaving home and starting school. The Adirondack Adventure eases this transition through team-building activities and close interaction with faculty and peers. Interested students should act quickly, as spots are limited.
Acceptance rate 61% • Net price $18,684 • SAT Range 1140-1310 • Students submitting SAT scores 89%
Total Undergrad Population 4,911 • Setting Town • Public 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 78% • Retention rate 85% • Student-to-faculty ratio 17:1
SUNY New Paltz
New Paltz, NY ‧ Public ‧ 4-year
The State University of New York at New Paltz is an academically rigorous public university in the heart of New York State’s scenic Hudson Valley, just 90 minutes north of metropolitan New York City.
SUNY New Paltz offers more than 100 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs across five academic schools (Business; Education; Science & Engineering; Liberal Arts & Sciences; Fine & Performing Arts). With about 8,000 enrolled students, it is a mid-size school where professors know their students’ names.
It’s also a uniquely diverse community to which people from around the world can “come as they are” and collaborate in a friendly, tolerant, and supportive environment. At New Paltz, artists work with entrepreneurs to add smart design to business plans, engineers partner with future teachers to bring technology into the k-12 classroom, and the liberal arts provide a core set of adaptable skills that make NP alumni stand out in their pursuit of post-graduation success.
Acceptance rate 62% • Net price $16,079 • SAT Range 1070-1260 • Students submitting SAT scores 91%
Total Undergrad Population 7,489 • Setting Suburb • Public 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 76% • Retention rate 87% • Student-to-faculty ratio 15:1
SUNY Oneonta
Oneonta, NY ‧ Public ‧ 4-year
SUNY Oneonta is a mid-size, four-year, public college offering more than 60 majors and programs on a residential campus in Central New York. The college offers small classes, loads of campus activities, and a wide variety of experiential learning opportunities that help students gain the knowledge and skills they need to prepare for successful careers and further education.
The college is known as a caring campus where people are genuinely friendly and work hard to make everyone feel at home. Three core values support SUNY Oneonta’s mission: inclusivity, service and sustainability.
SUSTAINABILITY
Students are involved in a variety of activities to protect the natural environment. Several clubs have a sustainability focus, and students work as volunteers at the Red Closet Thrift Shop on campus, which raises money for scholarships awarded to students interested in sustainability.. Each year around Earth Day, the college’s Green Dragon Week features activities such as film screenings, speakers, clothing swaps, a local food dinner, bicycle repair stations, and composting demonstrations.
Acceptance rate 63% • Net price $16,635 • SAT Range 910-1121 • Students submitting SAT scores 91%
Total Undergrad Population 6,718 • Setting Town • Public 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 76% • Retention rate 83% • Student-to-faculty ratio 16:1
SUNY Oswego
Oswego, NY ‧ Public ‧ 4-year
SUNY Oswego offers engaging student life activities and programming alongside an exceptionally diverse curriculum with academic programs in four distinct schools: Business; Education; Liberal Arts & Sciences; and Communication, Media & the Arts. The possibilities are endless with an extensive choice of academic options and majors, an outstanding faculty, internships, co-ops, service-learning, and study abroad opportunities that foster learning and encourage the exchange of ideas. Oswego is a campus of choice for students (around 8,000 students, some 7,000 of them full-time undergraduates) who become successful graduates achieving dreams, pursuing adventure, and embracing opportunity.
SUNY Oswego, one of 13 comprehensive colleges in the 64-campus State University of New York system, was founded in 1861. Oswego is committed to enhancing its diversity and actively engages in recruiting, supporting, and fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students.
Acceptance rate 69% • Net price $16,398 • SAT Range 1020-1190 • Students submitting SAT scores 99%
Total Undergrad Population 7,636 • Setting Town • Public 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 65% • Retention rate 81% • Student-to-faculty ratio 16:1
St. John Fisher University
Rochester, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
St. John Fisher University has experienced significant enrollment and program growth, igniting fast-moving change to an already beautiful campus. It’s a place where tradition and innovation continue to be joined hand-in-hand.
The University stays true to the educational philosophy of its founders, applying liberal learning, high academic standards, and personal attention to each student.
Experiential learning and service-learning are central to all of Fisher’s 37 academic majors offered at the undergraduate level as well as many of its graduate programs. Students have countless chances throughout their years at the University to pursue internships and other networking opportunities as well as unique study abroad experiences.
Fisher students find everything they need to shape their future: a lively, inspiring, and welcoming campus community; the foundation of a liberal arts education that touches every part of their life; and the guidance of faculty whose expertise sheds light on students’ chosen fields. At Fisher, they find goodness, discipline, and knowledge.
Acceptance rate 68% • Net price $29,722 • SAT Range 1060-1240 • Students submitting SAT scores 94%
Total Undergrad Population 3,610 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 72% • Retention rate 90% • Student-to-faculty ratio 12:1
St. John’s University
Queens, NY ‧ Catholic ‧ 4-year
Those who become a part of St. John’s University discover a world of opportunity available at New York City’s largest Catholic university. For 150 years, St. John’s has prepared students to become real leaders in both their careers and communities. Today, St. John’s offers more than 100 academic programs, dynamic study abroad opportunities, and a focus on service, altogether supplying the knowledge and tools needed for success in a constantly changing world.
GLOBAL PASSPORT
Global Studies is a vital part of the educational experience at St. John’s. Through the Global Passport Program, for example, students can study abroad as early as their very first year at St. John’s, traveling to locations throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America at virtually any time throughout the calendar year. What’s more, St. John’s unique Discover the World program lets students earn 15 credits living, learning, and serving in three cities—all within a single semester.
Acceptance rate 75% • Net price $26,771 • SAT Range 1080-1300 • Students submitting SAT scores 75%
Total Undergrad Population 20,143 • Setting City: Large • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 64% • Retention rate 83% • Student-to-faculty ratio 16:1
St. Joseph’s University, New York
Brooklyn, NY ‧ Catholic ‧ 4-year
Established in 1916, St. Joseph’s University, New York provides an affordable liberal arts education to a diverse group of students at its three campuses: Brooklyn, Long Island, and Online. Independent and coeducational, St. Joseph’s prepares students for lives of integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility, and service. These are lives that are worthy of the University’s motto, Esse non videri, “To be and not to seem.”
A COMPLETE EDUCATION AT ST. JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY
There are some things that just can’t be learned in a classroom. At St. Joseph’s University, New York, students are encouraged to take part in fieldwork, research, internships, and study abroad trips prior to graduation.
For instance, child study majors at St. Joseph’s don’t wait until senior year to become student teachers; they start logging teaching hours starting freshman year and graduate with four solid years of classroom experience. Recreation majors all complete internships at local health or recreation facilities; art students learn to analyze and appreciate art by visiting world-famous museums; history students explore the architecture of hidden NYC neighborhoods; and biology students conduct research with their professors.
Acceptance rate 71% • Net price $16,290 • SAT Range 1020-1200 • Students submitting SAT scores 87%
Total Undergrad Population 5,012 • Setting City: Large • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 70% • Retention rate 84% • Student-to-faculty ratio 12:1
St. Thomas Aquinas College
Sparkill, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
From the day students first arrive, St. Thomas Aquinas College celebrates their strengths, talents, and individuality. The College encourages students to push past their limits and strive for great things, providing the opportunities for students to learn and grow in mind, body, and soul. With a choice of leading-edge academic programs, exciting field experiences, NCAA Division II athletics, and an array of student clubs, students can explore their creativity and meet friends. Anyone can be who they are in a place where everyone knows their name.
When students graduate, they possess the tools and skills they need to succeed in any career they choose. St. Thomas Aquinas College’s goal is to help students become the best version of themselves possible. The promise students that they will become “the BEST. YOU. EVER.”
Founded in 1952 by the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill as a teaching college, the school has grown to a 60-acre campus, providing a safe, welcoming place to study more than 100 majors, minors, and specializations in the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, and the School of Education. It’s just 15 miles north of New York City, giving students quick access to learning, cultural, internship, and career opportunities in one of the world’s most exciting cities.
Acceptance rate 87% • Net price $21,139 • SAT Range 900-1150 • Students submitting SAT scores 79%
Total Undergrad Population 1,779 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 61% • Retention rate 75% • Student-to-faculty ratio 17:1
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY ‧ Public ‧ 4-year
Stony Brook University is a leading research university with a diverse student body. Its students personalize their college experience through a wide variety of course offerings, numerous avenues for learning outside the classroom, and an emphasis on experiential learning. Stony Brook University takes an innovative approach to teaching that celebrates a student’s individuality, recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all path.
With exhaustive resources and up-close mentoring, Stony Brook is leading the way as it creates the next generation of leaders in business, healthcare, research, and the global community.
THE STONY BROOK CURRICULUM
Stony Brook University offers more than the traditional core curriculum. Its Stony Brook Curriculum aims to achieve four goals: Demonstrate Versatility, Explore Interconnectedness, Pursue Deeper Understanding, and Prepare for Life-Long Learning. These goals encompass and expand upon the usual math, science, and English requirements by requiring students to study ethics, presentation and communication skills, fine arts, and the value of diversity. Stony Brook students are well rounded and prepared for modern challenges.
Acceptance rate 49% • Net price $16,478 • SAT Range 1230-1440 • Students submitting SAT scores 88%
Total Undergrad Population 26,782 • Setting Suburb • Public 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 76% • Retention rate 90% • Student-to-faculty ratio 19:1
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Maximize your potential at Syracuse University. Syracuse is a private university in Syracuse, New York where innovation and freedom of intellectual inquiry flourish.
With 13 schools and colleges, 200 customizable majors and 100 minors, and online degrees and certificates, Syracuse University provides limitless educational pathways. New interdisciplinary areas ranging from social justice and artificial intelligence to energy and environment provide hands-on research experiences that broaden perspectives and prepare students for the careers of tomorrow.
Syracuse University has five award-winning study abroad centers and international programs in 60 countries to choose from where our students gain global perspectives that last a lifetime.
Acceptance rate 69% • Net price $47,177
Total Undergrad Population 21,322 • Setting City: Midsize • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 83% • Retention rate 89% • Student-to-faculty ratio 15:1
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY ‧ Public ‧ 4-year
Succeed in your personal and professional life with an education from University at Buffalo. UBuffalo SUNY is a public university in Buffalo, New York.
UB offers the widest range of academic programs of any public institution in New York or New England, including 140+ undergraduate options and 70+ minors, and more than 300 graduate, professional and certificate degrees.
Acceptance rate 67% • Net price $18,119 • SAT Range 1140-1310 • Students submitting SAT scores 73%
Total Undergrad Population 32,347 • Setting Suburb • Public 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 75% • Retention rate 87% • Student-to-faculty ratio 14:1
University of Mount Saint Vincent
Riverdale, NY ‧ Catholic ‧ 4-year
The University of Mount Saint Vincent seeks to engage the development of the whole person. Every field of study emphasizes analytical skills; critical thinking; clear communication; and moral and religious thought—essentials for success in every profession. The Mount offers over 70 nationally recognized degree programs and course offerings, including majors and minors in the sciences and mathematics, humanities and the arts, social sciences, accounting, business, communication, education, and nursing, among others.
The University has more than 1,800 undergraduate and graduate students who come from 28 states and 9 countries. Faculty have excellent academic credentials and share a passion for teaching and engaging their students. And because they teach small classes, they are able to give their students personalized attention and hands-on learning experiences.
With over 40 on-campus clubs, 15 intercollegiate athletic teams, cultural and social events, and countless service and leadership opportunities, students are always exploring their passions outside the classroom. They happily take advantage of their home in New York City, an invaluable resource home to prestigious institutions and world-class businesses. The Mount hosts an incredible campus atmosphere, which includes rolling hills that overlook the Hudson River, historic sites, classic architecture, and modern buildings.
Acceptance rate 93% • Net price $20,778 • SAT Range 910-1090 • Students submitting SAT scores 81%
Total Undergrad Population 2,663 • Setting City: Large • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 63% • Retention rate 76% • Student-to-faculty ratio 14:1
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Join a vibrant community and make valuable connections at University of Rochester. Rochester is a private university in New York with over 200 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs and certificates.
THE ROCHESTER CURRICULUM
With the Rochester Curriculum, undergraduate students in Arts, Sciences & Engineering build their own program of study. There are no general education requirements and no traditional “core” curriculum. This level of flexibility means most students find they have time to double- or triple-major, study abroad, conduct research, take music lessons, lead teams or clubs, or give back to the community.
Acceptance rate 35% • Net price $36,254 • SAT Range 1330-1510 • Students submitting SAT scores 64%
Total Undergrad Population 11,741 • Setting City: Midsize • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 86% • Retention rate 92% • Student-to-faculty ratio 10:1
Utica University
Utica, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Utica University is an innovative, private university with the resources to personalize education for each and every student.
Students leave Utica University with the tools needed to change the world in their workplaces and in their communities. With a low student-to-faculty ratio, a comprehensive student support network, and cutting-edge facilities, a Utica University education prepares students for rewarding careers, responsible citizenship, enlightened leadership, and fulfilling lives.
A TEAM THAT CARES
Starting in their freshman year, Utica University students are introduced to their CARE Team, which brings together an academic advisor, a student success coach, a career coach, and a financial aid counselor to provide a single point-of-contact for every area of concern. The CARE Teams ensure students are planning for their collegiate and career futures from the beginning of their time at Utica. By taking an active role in each student’s life, CARE Teams offer the personalized resources and relationships needed to excel at Utica and in the workforce.
Acceptance rate 86% • Net price $22,782
Total Undergrad Population 4,613 • Setting City: Small • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 54% • Retention rate 78% • Student-to-faculty ratio 12:1
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY ‧ Private ‧ 4-year
Vassar College is a top liberal arts institution in Poughkeepsie, New York. Vassar boasts an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio for 2,500 students.
Acceptance rate 25% • Net price $26,028 • SAT Range 1360-1520 • Students submitting SAT scores 64%
Total Undergrad Population 2,435 • Setting Suburb • Private 4-year
Graduation rate (6 year) 88% • Retention rate 93% • Student-to-faculty ratio 8:1
What it’s like to attend schools in New York and other FAQ:
The average undergraduate tuition & fees for colleges in New York is $7,546 for in-state students at public institutions, $14,472 for out-of-state students at public institutions, and $22,507 for students at private institutions.
Baruch College has an average net price of $3,897 making it the least expensive bachelor’s degree program in New York that made our list.
College of Mount Saint Vincent has an acceptance rate of 93%, making it the least exclusive institution on our list.
Baruch College has a median total debt after graduation of $11,130. This is the typical debt for a student who completed their undergraduate degree.