Resources › For Students and Parents Top New York Colleges Print For Students and Parents College Admissions College Rankings College Admissions Process College Profiles Choosing A College Application Tips Essay Samples & Tips Testing Graphs College Financial Aid Advanced Placement Homework Help Private School Test Prep College Life Graduate School Business School Law School Distance Learning View More By Allen Grove Allen Grove College Admissions Expert Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania M.A., English, University of Pennsylvania B.S., Materials Science & Engineering and Literature, MIT Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on July 10, 2019 New York State has some of the best colleges in the country. The State University of New York system is strong, and New York has both strong liberal arts colleges and large research universities. The top New York State colleges listed below vary in size and type of school and are listed in alphabetical order. The colleges were chosen based on 4 and 6-year graduation rates, retention rates, value, and academic strengths and innovations. Barnard College Barnard College from Broadway. Photo Credit: Allen Grove Location: Manhattan, New York Enrollment: 2,631 (all undergraduate) Type of Institution: private women's liberal arts college Explore the Campus: Barnard College photo tour Distinctions: The most selective of all women's colleges; affiliation with adjacent Columbia University; one of the original "seven sisters" colleges; lots of cultural and educational opportunities in Manhattan Binghamton University Binghamton University. unforth / Flickr Location: Vestal, New York Enrollment: 18,124 (14,165 undergraduates) Type of Institution: public research university Distinctions: Highly ranked public university; 887-acre campus features a 190-acre nature preserve; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; NCAA Division I athletics in the America East Conference Colgate University James B. Colgate Hall. bronayur / Flickr Location: Hamilton, New York Enrollment: 2,992 (2,980 undergraduates) Type of Institution: private liberal arts college Distinctions: High ranking liberal arts college; picturesque location; high graduation rate; high percentage of students go on to graduate school; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; NCAA Division I athletics in the Patriot League Columbia University Low Library at Columbia University. Photo Credit: Allen Grove Location: Manhattan, New York Enrollment: 31,456 (8,221 undergraduates) Type of Institution: private research university Distinctions: Member of the Ivy League; extremely selective admissions, member of the Association of American Universities; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; lots of cultural and educational opportunities in Manhattan Read More The Best Colleges in New York City By Allen Grove Cooper Union Cooper Union. moacirpdsp / Flickr Location: Manhattan, New York Enrollment: 952 (857 undergraduates) Type of Institution: small engineering and art school Distinctions: Specialized curriculum in engineering and art; historic building where Abraham Lincoln gave a famous speech on limiting enslavement; Manhattan location provides students with many cultural and educational opportunities; highly ranked engineering program; half tuition scholarship for all students Cornell University Cornell University Sage Hall. Photo Credit: Allen Grove Location: Ithaca, New York Enrollment: 24,027 (15,043 undergraduates) Type of Institution: private research university Explore the Campus: Cornell University Photo Tour Distinctions: Member of the Ivy League; member of the Association of American Universities; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; beautiful Finger Lakes location; highly ranked programs in engineering and hotel management Hamilton College Hamilton College. EAWB / Flickr Location: Clinton, New YorkEnrollment: 2,012 (all undergraduate)Type of Institution: liberal arts collegeDistinctions: Highly ranked liberal arts college; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; emphasis on individualized instruction and independent research; picturesque location in upstate, New York New York University (NYU) New York University Bobst Library. davidsilver / Flickr Location: Manhattan, New YorkEnrollment: 52,885 (26,981 undergraduates)Type of Institution: private research universityDistinctions: Member of the Association of American Universities; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; located in Manhattan's Greenwich Village; 16 schools and centers with law, business, art, public service, and education all placing high in national rankings Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) RPI - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. DannoHung / Flickr Location: Troy, New YorkEnrollment: 7,528 (6,241 undergraduates)Type of Institution: technology-focused private universityDistinctions: Engineering school with a strong undergraduate focus; near the state capital in Albany; good financial aid; competitive Division I hockey team SUNY Geneseo SUNY Geneseo. bdesham / Flickr Location: Geneseo, New YorkEnrollment: 5,398 (5,294 undergraduates)Type of Institution: public liberal arts collegeDistinctions: Good value for both in-state and out-of-state students; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; located on the western edge of the Finger Lakes region University of Rochester University of Rochester. daniel.green / Flickr Location: Rochester, New YorkEnrollment: 12,233 (6,780 undergraduates)Type of Institution: private research universityDistinctions: Member of the Association of American Universities for strong research; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; top-ranked programs in music and optics Vassar College Vassar College. samuenzinger / Flickr Location: Poughkeepsie, New York Enrollment: 2,439 (all undergraduates) Type of Institution: liberal arts college Distinctions: 8-to-1 student/faculty ratio; average class size of 17; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strengths in the liberal arts and sciences; 1,000-acre campus includes over 100 buildings, picturesque gardens and a farm; located 75 miles from NYC in the Hudson Valley Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Grove, Allen. "Top New York Colleges." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/top-new-york-colleges-788323. Grove, Allen. (2023, April 5). Top New York Colleges. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/top-new-york-colleges-788323 Grove, Allen. "Top New York Colleges." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/top-new-york-colleges-788323 (accessed April 19, 2024). copy citation