Best Colleges in New York 2026

New York's higher education landscape offers students 137 qualifying institutions, from world-class research universities to specialized colleges. The state's top 5 schools represent a compelling mix of public and private options, with three private institutions and two public schools earning the highest rankings. These leading colleges excel in academic rigor, graduation rates, and post-graduation outcomes. When evaluating New York schools, students should prioritize factors like program strength in their intended major, campus culture fit, financial aid availability, and location preferences. The diversity among top performers,from maritime academies to Ivy League universities,demonstrates that academic excellence takes many forms across New York's educational ecosystem.

Schools Ranked

$83,360

Avg. Earnings

80.5%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 25 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Graduation Rate	Median Earnings	Acceptance Rate	In-State Tuition
1	United States Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point, New York	80.6%	$90,610	27.4%	$945
2	St. Joseph's College of Nursing Syracuse, New York	100.0%	$81,908	22.2%	$23,206
3	Columbia University in the City of New York New York, New York	95.0%	$102,491	4.0%	$69,045
4	Cornell University Ithaca, New York	95.1%	$104,043	7.5%	$66,014
5	Binghamton University Vestal, New York	83.6%	$80,596	41.8%	$10,363
6	Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Albany, New York	68.8%	$131,426	66.3%	$40,375
7	Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing New York, New York	100.0%	$96,980
8	SUNY Maritime College Throggs Neck, New York	74.9%	$95,951	80.3%	$8,540
9	Stony Brook University Stony Brook, New York	77.8%	$74,502	49.1%	$10,560
10	CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, New York	72.1%	$75,971	49.5%	$7,464
11	Fashion Institute of Technology New York, New York	83.3%	$62,696	52.8%	$6,170
12	Barnard College New York, New York	92.9%	$80,516	8.8%	$66,246
13	Colgate University Hamilton, New York	90.5%	$85,139	12.4%	$67,024
14	The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art New York, New York	80.3%	$83,847	22.5%	$46,820
15	Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital East Syracuse, New York	69.2%	$83,972	52.9%	$19,228
16	New York University New York, New York	88.5%	$82,509	12.5%	$60,438
17	Hamilton College Clinton, New York	91.3%	$78,411	11.8%	$65,740
18	St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens Rego Park, New York	41.5%	$104,403		$17,556
19	University at Buffalo Buffalo, New York	73.4%	$70,814	67.7%	$10,782
20	Island Drafting and Technical Institute Amityville, New York	76.9%	$62,379		$19,200
21	CUNY Hunter College New York, New York	61.0%	$63,163	47.9%	$7,382
22	Vassar College Poughkeepsie, New York	89.1%	$71,366	18.7%	$67,805
23	SUNY College at Geneseo Geneseo, New York	72.1%	$67,316	74.9%	$8,966
24	Jewish Theological Seminary of America New York, New York	86.8%	$92,751	50.8%	$65,545
25	State University of New York at Cortland Cortland, New York	68.2%	$60,236	59.8%	$8,815