Top Ranked Colleges: Universities | Public Universities | Liberal Arts Colleges | Engineering | Business | Women's | Most Selective
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 12 top New York State colleges listed below vary so much in size and type of school that I have simply listed them alphabetically rather than force them into any sort of artificial ranking. The colleges were chosen based on 4- and 6-year graduation rates, retention rates, value, and academic strengths and innovations.
Compare top New York Colleges: SAT Scores | ACT Scores
Barnard College
Shintashi / Wikimedia Commons
- Location: Manhattan, New York
- Enrollment: 2,359 (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 sister" colleges; lots of cultural and educational opportunities in Manhattan
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Barnard College profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Barnard
Binghamton University
unforth / Flickr
- Location: Vestal, New York
- Enrollment: 14,882 (11,805 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
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Binghamton University profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Binghamton
Colgate University
bronayur / Flickr
- Location: Hamilton, New York
- Enrollment: 2,841 (2,831 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
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Colgate University profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Colgate
Columbia University
Yandi / Flickr
- Location: Manhattan, New York
- Enrollment: 23,196 (7,495 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private research university
- Explore the Campus: Columbia University Photo Tour
- 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
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Columbia University profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Columbia
Cooper Union
moacirpdsp / Flickr
- Location: Manhattan, New York
- Enrollment: 957 (906 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 slavery; Manhattan location provides students with many cultural and educational opportunities; highly ranked engineering program; free tuition for all students
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Cooper Union profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Cooper Union
Cornell University
Photo Credit: Allen Grove
- Location: Ithaca, New York
- Enrollment: 20,273 (13,846 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
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Cornell University profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Cornell
Hamilton College
EAWB / Flickr
- Location: Clinton, New York
- Enrollment: 1,842 (all undergraduate)
- Type of Institution: liberal arts college
- Distinctions: highly ranked liberal arts college; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa; emphasis on individualized instruction and independent research; picturesque location in upstate, New York
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Hamilton College profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Hamilton
New York University (NYU)
davidsilver / Flickr
- Location: Manhattan, New York
- Enrollment: 42,189 (21,269 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private research university
- Distinctions: 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
- Admissions: NYU GPA and Test Score Graph
- Explore the Campus: NYU Photo Tour
- For more information and admissions data, visit the NYU profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for NYU
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
DannoHung / Flickr
- Location: Troy, New York
- Enrollment: 6,566 (5,164 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: technology-focused private university
- Distinctions: engineering school with a strong undergraduate focus; near the state capital in Albany; good financial aid; competitive Division I hockey team
- For more information and admissions data, visit the RPI profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for RPI
SUNY Geneseo
bdesham / Flickr
- Location: Geneseo, New York
- Enrollment: 5,548 (5,395 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: public liberal arts college
- Distinctions: 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
- For more information and admissions data, visit the SUNY Geneseo profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Geneseo
University of Rochester
daniel.green / Flickr
- Location: Rochester, New York
- Enrollment: 9,334 (5,131 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private research university
- Distinctions: 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
- For more information and admissions data, visit the University of Rochester profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for U of R
Vassar College
samuenzinger / Flickr
- Location: Poughkeepsie, New York
- Enrollment: 2,451 (2,450 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: liberal arts college
- Distinctions: 9 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
- For more information and admissions data, visit the Vassar College profile
- GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Vassar
