Best Colleges in New York + Full List of Schools

It’s the only state with two Ivy League universities, plus a network of city and state public colleges. That’s right — New York has some of the best colleges in the country.

If you want to join over a million college students who choose to study in New York, you’re in the right place. Earning your degree from one of the top colleges in New York can launch your career.

We’ll cover the best colleges in New York State and New York City, provide a full list of colleges in New York, and introduce a few scholarships you can apply for today.

We’ve compiled a list of all four-year nonprofit schools in New York. You can search for specific schools and view information on student enrollment numbers, average net cost, acceptance rate, and number of applicants.

Note that schools enrolling fewer than 500 undergraduates were not considered for this list. All data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

Accredited New York colleges and universities meet the highest standards for academic quality. That matters when earning a degree. Choose an accredited school or program to make sure you’ll get the most out of your education.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education accredits the best colleges in New York. Considering an online college? Look for accreditation from the Distance Education Accrediting Commission.

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation provides additional information on accreditation, including databases of accredited schools and programs.

Considering New York’s cost of living, college can be surprisingly affordable. New Yorkers can expect to spend under $10,000 per year in tuition at public colleges. And while private college tuition generally costs more, many private New York colleges offer financial aid.

The table below breaks down the cost of college in New York by school type.

Attending college in New York? There are many scholarships for New York students. Check out the following programs, and make sure to contact your school’s financial aid office to learn about more opportunities.

It’s no secret that New York is an expensive state. But if you choose the right field, working in New York can pay off. After all, the state’s salaries are generally higher to compensate for the higher cost of living.

Learn more about the most in-demand careers in New York, and then check out the highest-paying career paths. The 10 jobs listed below earn the largest salaries in New York.

When you include all public and private colleges, community colleges, and trade schools, there are almost 300 schools in New York, according to NCES data. The state houses two major university networks: the State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY).

New York has many public and private four-year universities, including New York University and Syracuse University. The state is also home to two Ivy League schools, Columbia University and Cornell University.

Through the Excelsior Scholarship, students enrolled full time in an associate degree or bachelor’s degree program at a CUNY or SUNY college are eligible for free tuition. You must be able to show proof of New York residency for at least 12 consecutive months before your starting term.

Interested students must also earn less than $125,000 in gross adjusted household income, submit the FAFSA, and apply for a tuition assistance program. After you graduate, you must live in New York for the same amount of time that you accepted the scholarship money for. Otherwise, the scholarship converts into a loan.

In terms of tuition, the cheapest colleges in New York are all part of the CUNY or SUNY network, with the CUNY colleges being slightly cheaper. For in-state students, the cost of tuition at a CUNY school is about $6,930, while the tuition cost at a SUNY school is about $7,070.

Because the cost of living can vary between cities in New York, you should also consider the cost of living in each area when determining the cheapest college for you. While the cost of living in New York City is well above the national average, several areas in New York, like Buffalo, have a cost of living below the national average.

No, you don’t need to live in New York to attend New York colleges and universities online. Many of the state’s public and private colleges offer online classes and 100% online degrees.

You can enroll in online colleges in New York City or across the state. Some online colleges in New York even offer tuition discounts for out-of-state students.

The biggest college in New York is New York University. Located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood, NYU enrolls 59,144 students. Columbia ranks next, with around 35,000 students.

Other large colleges in New York include Stony Brook, the University at Buffalo, and Cornell, each of which enrolls over 25,000 students.