New York’s Best Public Colleges and Universities of 2021
Public colleges and universities account for almost 75 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. The best public colleges in New York provide broad access to reputable degree programs, affordable tuition, and sprawling educational communities.
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 public colleges and universities that offer four-year undergraduate degrees. We’ve identified 41 public universities in New York; 27 of which meet our criteria. The list below of the 25 best public universities in the state satisfies the following four conditions:
- It must receive direct funding from the state.
- It must be fully accredited.
- It offers a broad range of bachelor’s degree programs.
- Its graduation rate must be greater than 50%.
How do we determine New York's best public 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.
25 Best Public Colleges & Universities in New York
- #1United States Military Academy#38 institution's overall influence#55 overall school desirability
Acceptance
11%
Graduation
86%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1245/30
West Point, NYView profile
What is United States Military Academy known for?
United States Military Academy's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Law
- History
- Engineering
- Business
- Mathematics
- Literature
- Political Science
- Chemistry
- Physics
Most Influential Alumni
- #2Brooklyn College#116 institution's overall influence#1381 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
44%
Graduation
51%
Student body
15K
Brooklyn, NYView profile
What is Brooklyn College known for?
Brooklyn College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Psychology
- Anthropology
- Political Science
- Literature
- Philosophy
- History
- Economics
- Sociology
- Education
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
- #3Stony Brook University#164 institution's overall influence#1211 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
42%
Graduation
72%
Student body
24K
Median SAT/ACT
1325/28
Stony Brook, NYView profile
What is Stony Brook University known for?
Stony Brook University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Biology
- Sociology
- Computer Science
- Religious Studies
- Chemistry
- Philosophy
- Anthropology
- Psychology
Most Influential Alumni
- #4State University of New York at Purchase#735 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
62%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1165/24
Purchase, NYView profile
What is State University of New York at Purchase known for?
State University of New York at Purchase's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Economics
- Philosophy
- Sociology
- Political Science
- Literature
- Chemistry
- Education
- Biology
- Communications
Most Influential Alumni
- #5University at Buffalo#98 institution's overall influence#1348 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
56%
Graduation
74%
Student body
27K
Median SAT/ACT
1245/26
Buffalo, NYView profile
What is University at Buffalo known for?
University at Buffalo's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Anthropology
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Social Work
- Psychology
- Economics
- History
- Communications
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
- #6Hunter College#180 institution's overall influence#1193 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
36%
Graduation
53%
Student body
19K
New York, NYView profile
What is Hunter College known for?
Hunter College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Social Work
- Philosophy
- Anthropology
- History
- Nursing
- Education
- Political Science
- Mathematics
- Economics
Most Influential Alumni
- #7United States Merchant Marine Academy#1234 institution's overall influence#64 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$1K
Acceptance
22%
Graduation
76%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1260/28
Kings Point, NYView profile
What is United States Merchant Marine Academy known for?
United States Merchant Marine Academy's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Engineering
Most Influential Alumni
- #8Binghamton University#328 institution's overall influence#1143 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
40%
Graduation
83%
Student body
17K
Median SAT/ACT
1375/30
Vestal, NYView profile
What is Binghamton University known for?
Binghamton University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Sociology
- Political Science
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Economics
- History
- Psychology
- Earth Sciences
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #9Queens College#273 institution's overall influence#1468 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
48%
Graduation
60%
Student body
16K
Queens, NYView profile
What is Queens College known for?
Queens College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Literature
- Philosophy
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Biology
- Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Political Science
- Physics
Most Influential Alumni
- #10State University of New York at Albany#459 institution's overall influence#1020 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
52%
Graduation
66%
Student body
16K
Median SAT/ACT
1180/24
Albany, NYView profile
What is State University of New York at Albany known for?
State University of New York at Albany's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Sociology
- Chemistry
- Literature
- Social Work
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Religious Studies
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #11State University of New York Maritime College#1551 institution's overall influence#1035 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
56%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1167/24
Throggs Neck, NYView profile
What is State University of New York Maritime College known for?
State University of New York Maritime College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Engineering
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
- #12State University of New York at Oswego#929 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
54%
Graduation
66%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1155/23
Oswego, NYView profile
What is State University of New York at Oswego known for?
State University of New York at Oswego's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Communications
- Computer Science
- History
- Anthropology
- Philosophy
- Earth Sciences
- Business
- Chemistry
- Psychology
Most Influential Alumni
- #13Baruch College#760 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
39%
Graduation
66%
Student body
16K
New York, NYView profile
What is Baruch College known for?
Baruch College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Psychology
- Business
- Economics
- Philosophy
- Sociology
- Communications
- Biology
- Mathematics
- Education
- Political Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #14State University of New York at New Paltz#1107 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
41%
Graduation
72%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1180/26
New Paltz, NYView profile
What is State University of New York at New Paltz known for?
State University of New York at New Paltz's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Economics
- Literature
- Political Science
- Computer Science
- Communications
- Anthropology
- Earth Sciences
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Social Work
Most Influential Alumni
- #15State University of New York at Fredonia#1315 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
62%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1070/24
Fredonia, NYView profile
What is State University of New York at Fredonia known for?
State University of New York at Fredonia's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Earth Sciences
- Literature
- Education
- Philosophy
- Biology
- Psychology
- Chemistry
- Sociology
- Communications
- Anthropology
Most Influential Alumni
- #16State University of New York at Plattsburgh#1956 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
54%
Graduation
63%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1140/23
Plattsburgh, NYView profile
What is State University of New York at Plattsburgh known for?
State University of New York at Plattsburgh's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Communications
- Literature
- Chemistry
- Anthropology
- Medical
- Psychology
- Earth Sciences
Most Influential Alumni
- #17State University of New York at Oneonta#2063 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
51%
Graduation
72%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1045/23
Oneonta, NYView profile
What is State University of New York at Oneonta known for?
State University of New York at Oneonta's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Earth Sciences
- Political Science
- Chemistry
- History
- Business
- Computer Science
- Anthropology
- Literature
- Criminal Justice
- Communications
Most Influential Alumni
- #18State University of New York at Geneseo#1722 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
81%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1210/26
Geneseo, NYView profile
What is State University of New York at Geneseo known for?
State University of New York at Geneseo's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Sociology
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Communications
- Political Science
- Biology
- Chemistry
Most Influential Alumni
- #19State University of New York at Cortland#2010 institution's overall influence#1311 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
44%
Graduation
74%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1130/23
Cortland, NYView profile
What is State University of New York at Cortland known for?
State University of New York at Cortland's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- History
- Medical
- Business
- Anthropology
- Earth Sciences
- Psychology
- Communications
- Political Science
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
- #20State University of New York at Potsdam#2058 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
64%
Graduation
52%
Student body
4K
Potsdam, NYView profile
What is State University of New York at Potsdam known for?
State University of New York at Potsdam's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Earth Sciences
- Mathematics
- Sociology
- Computer Science
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Education
- Economics
- Communications
- History
Most Influential Alumni
- #21Buffalo State College#1663 institution's overall influence#467 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
61%
Graduation
50%
Student body
8K
Buffalo, NYView profile
What is Buffalo State College known for?
Buffalo State College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Economics
- Chemistry
- Literature
- History
- Political Science
- Education
- Criminal Justice
- Biology
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
- #22Farmingdale State College#1693 institution's overall influence#238 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
46%
Graduation
53%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1085/22
Farmingdale, NYView profile
What is Farmingdale State College known for?
Farmingdale State College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Computer Science
- Psychology
- Biology
- Communications
- Criminal Justice
- Medical
- Business
- Sociology
Most Influential Alumni
- #23State University of New York at Brockport#2268 institution's overall influence#1243 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
53%
Graduation
68%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1100/22
Brockport, NYView profile
What is State University of New York at Brockport known for?
State University of New York at Brockport's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Earth Sciences
- Literature
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Medical
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Physics
- Anthropology
- Philosophy
Most Influential Alumni
- #24Alfred State College#6237 institution's overall influence#1323 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
63%
Graduation
56%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1060/22
Alfred, NYView profile
What is Alfred State College known for?
Alfred State College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Nursing
- Biology
- Business
- #25State University of New York at Cobleskill#8849 institution's overall influence#680 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
51%
Student body
3K
Cobleskill, NYView profile
What is State University of New York at Cobleskill known for?
State University of New York at Cobleskill's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Computer Science
- Biology
- Education
- Business
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
Find the best public college for your interests
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
