New York’s Best Private Colleges and Universities of 2021
Private colleges, unlike large public institutions, can be a great option for students wanting a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Here is our list of the best private colleges in New York.
Colleges and Universities in New York
They say New York is a place where dreams come true. Here, fashion, culture, food, business, art, and many languages comfortably coexist. While the Empire State’s metropolitan landmarks, like the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, are noteworthy, many forget New York also offers access to the Great Lakes, the Atlantic Ocean, and countless cozy cabins tucked away in the verdant Catskills Mountains. Additionally, New York is home to over 200 colleges and universities, making it easy for students to dream big while earning their degrees.
What are New York’s Colleges & Universities?
- 28 Research Universities
- 93 Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities
- 37 Graduate Schools
- 27 Public Colleges & Universities
- 61 Private Colleges & Universities
- 18 Christian Colleges & Universities
- 73 Small Colleges & Universities (fewer than 5,000 students)
- 49 Affordable Colleges (below $20,000k/yr)
- 36 Community Colleges
New York’s Best Overall
What is a public college? And what is the difference between a private and public college?
This list is composed entirely of private colleges and universities that offer four-year undergraduate degrees. We’ve identified 80 private universities in New York; 61 of which meet our criteria. The list below of the 25 best private universities in the state satisfies the following four conditions:
- It must be a private, non-profit institution.
- It must be fully accredited.
- It must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.
- It must have a graduation rate of greater than 50%.
How do we determine New York's best private colleges and universities?
The best colleges pound for pound!
The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why, at the undergraduate level, we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call Concentrated Influence.
Concentrated Influence takes the combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers (including faculty and alums) and divides it by the school’s total number of undergraduates.
Using concentrated influence gives small and mid-sized schools an opportunity to shine by taking away the size advantage of larger universities. A small school with proportionately more influential faculty than a large school, whose influence in absolute terms may be bigger, will nonetheless score higher in a concentrated influence ranking. Our approach highlights undergraduate schools that truly rank for excellence, regardless of size.
If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence.
Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.
Find out more about our ranking methodology here.
Best Private Colleges & Universities in New York
- #1Columbia University#3 institution's overall influence#6 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$53K
Acceptance
6%
Graduation
95%
Student body
28K
Median SAT/ACT
1505/34
New York, NYView profile
What is Columbia University known for?
Columbia University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Social Work
- Nursing
- Literature
- Communications
- Law
- Business
- Education
- History
- Philosophy
Most Influential Alumni
- #2Cornell University#14 institution's overall influence#14 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
11%
Graduation
94%
Student body
24K
Median SAT/ACT
1465/33
Ithaca, NYView profile
What is Cornell University known for?
Cornell University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Engineering
- Physics
- Anthropology
- Biology
- Literature
- Computer Science
- Medical
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Chemistry
Most Influential Alumni
- #3Sarah Lawrence College#239 institution's overall influence#1422 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
56%
Graduation
82%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1330/29
Bronxville, NYView profile
What is Sarah Lawrence College known for?
Sarah Lawrence College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Education
- Sociology
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
- #4Barnard College#125 institution's overall influence#65 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
14%
Graduation
91%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1415/31
New York, NYView profile
What is Barnard College known for?
Barnard College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Literature
- Sociology
- Economics
- Political Science
- Religious Studies
- History
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology
Most Influential Alumni
- #5Vassar College#139 institution's overall influence#88 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
25%
Graduation
91%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1440/32
Poughkeepsie, NYView profile
What is Vassar College known for?
Vassar College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Literature
- Psychology
- Education
- Earth Sciences
- Computer Science
- History
- Philosophy
- Sociology
- Chemistry
Most Influential Alumni
- #6Cooper Union#312 institution's overall influence#62 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$47K
Acceptance
16%
Graduation
90%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1396/32
New York, NYView profile
What is Cooper Union known for?
Cooper Union's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Engineering
Most Influential Alumni
- #7Yeshiva University#212 institution's overall influence#136 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$44K
Acceptance
60%
Graduation
82%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1270/26
New York, NYView profile
What is Yeshiva University known for?
Yeshiva University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Medical
- Religious Studies
- Social Work
- Law
- Physics
- Biology
- Philosophy
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
- #8New York University#16 institution's overall influence#44 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$52K
Acceptance
20%
Graduation
85%
Student body
47K
Median SAT/ACT
1410/31
New York, NYView profile
What is New York University known for?
New York University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Medical
- Business
- Social Work
- Law
- Education
- History
- Philosophy
- Nursing
- Communications
Most Influential Alumni
- #9Bard College#300 institution's overall influence#998 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
78%
Student body
2K
Annandale-On-Hudson, NYView profile
What is Bard College known for?
Bard College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- History
- Economics
- Education
- Sociology
- Biology
Most Influential Alumni
- #10The New School#95 institution's overall influence#1438 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$49K
Acceptance
57%
Graduation
68%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1255/27
New York, NYView profile
What is The New School known for?
The New School's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Anthropology
- Literature
- Philosophy
- Education
- History
- Business
- Economics
- Psychology
- Communications
Most Influential Alumni
- #11University of Rochester#91 institution's overall influence#61 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$54K
Acceptance
29%
Graduation
85%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
1410/32
Rochester, NYView profile
What is University of Rochester known for?
University of Rochester's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Physics
- Economics
- Biology
- Political Science
- Chemistry
- Medical
- Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Psychology
- Philosophy
Most Influential Alumni
- #12Colgate University#278 institution's overall influence#42 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
25%
Graduation
90%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1415/32
Hamilton, NYView profile
What is Colgate University known for?
Colgate University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Philosophy
- Religious Studies
- Biology
- Physics
- Political Science
- Anthropology
- Computer Science
- Education
- History
Most Influential Alumni
- #13Hamilton College#324 institution's overall influence#85 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
21%
Graduation
92%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1430/32
Clinton, NYView profile
What is Hamilton College known for?
Hamilton College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- Mathematics
- Economics
- History
- Anthropology
- Biology
- Political Science
- Sociology
Most Influential Alumni
- #14Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute#186 institution's overall influence#1177 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$54K
Acceptance
43%
Graduation
83%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1415/31
Troy, NYView profile
What is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute known for?
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Earth Sciences
- Communications
- Mathematics
- Business
- Biology
- Economics
Most Influential Alumni
- #15Syracuse University#87 institution's overall influence#1450 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$52K
Acceptance
50%
Graduation
82%
Student body
23K
Median SAT/ACT
1275/27
Syracuse, NYView profile
What is Syracuse University known for?
Syracuse University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Communications
- Business
- Political Science
- History
- Social Work
- Literature
- Physics
- Religious Studies
- Philosophy
- Mathematics
Most Influential Alumni
- #16Fordham University#175 institution's overall influence#66 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$52K
Acceptance
46%
Graduation
80%
Student body
15K
Median SAT/ACT
1340/30
Bronx, NYView profile
What is Fordham University known for?
Fordham University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Religious Studies
- Communications
- Law
- Philosophy
- Business
- Literature
- Sociology
- Education
- History
Most Influential Alumni
- #17Union College#292 institution's overall influence#188 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
39%
Graduation
87%
Student body
2K
Schenectady, NYView profile
What is Union College known for?
Union College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Business
- Engineering
- Anthropology
- Physics
- History
- Sociology
- Mathematics
- Philosophy
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #18Hofstra University#485 institution's overall influence#850 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$46K
Acceptance
63%
Graduation
64%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1240/27
Hempstead, NYView profile
What is Hofstra University known for?
Hofstra University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Literature
- Business
- Communications
- Law
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Economics
Most Influential Alumni
- #19Skidmore College#1025 institution's overall influence#123 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$54K
Acceptance
27%
Graduation
89%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1311/29
Saratoga Springs, NYView profile
What is Skidmore College known for?
Skidmore College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Religious Studies
- Psychology
- Anthropology
- Literature
- Computer Science
- Physics
- Biology
- Earth Sciences
Most Influential Alumni
- #20Wagner College#699 institution's overall influence#718 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$47K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
67%
Student body
2K
Staten Island, NYView profile
What is Wagner College known for?
Wagner College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Anthropology
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Economics
- Political Science
- Nursing
- History
- Physics
Most Influential Alumni
- #21Hobart and William Smith Colleges#666 institution's overall influence#1302 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
57%
Graduation
77%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1245/27
Geneva, NYView profile
What is Hobart and William Smith Colleges known for?
Hobart and William Smith Colleges's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Communications
- Chemistry
- Political Science
- Earth Sciences
- Economics
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Religious Studies
- Education
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #22Manhattan College#651 institution's overall influence#352 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$43K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
71%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1165/25
Riverdale, NYView profile
What is Manhattan College known for?
Manhattan College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Computer Science
- Religious Studies
- Physics
- Engineering
- Business
- Medical
- Psychology
- Economics
- Communications
- Social Work
Most Influential Alumni
- #23Clarkson University#973 institution's overall influence#413 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$49K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
71%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1255/27
Potsdam, NYView profile
What is Clarkson University known for?
Clarkson University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Communications
- History
- Business
- Biology
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
- #24Marist College#1051 institution's overall influence#234 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$38K
Acceptance
46%
Graduation
83%
Student body
6K
Poughkeepsie, NYView profile
What is Marist College known for?
Marist College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Communications
- Political Science
- Computer Science
- Psychology
- Business
- Social Work
- Economics
- History
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
- #25St. Lawrence University#862 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
46%
Graduation
84%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1272/28
Canton, NYView profile
What is St. Lawrence University known for?
St. Lawrence University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Earth Sciences
- Political Science
- Economics
- History
- Business
- Literature
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Sociology
- Communications
Most Influential Alumni
Find New York’s best private school for your interest
Resources for College-Bound Students
- Guide to Applying for College
- How to Apply for Grad School
- Guide to Paying for College
- Guide to Financial Aid in HigherEd
- Guide to Scholarships for College and Grad School
- College & University Accreditation Guide
- Guide to Surviving College
- Guide to College for International Students
- Guide to College Study Skills
