Best Colleges in New York

Why Should I Consider Studying in New York?

Attending college in New York can be amazing in more ways than you might think.

There are ample education options in New York City itself. The two most prominent schools are Columbia University and New York University which are both always considered in our top 25 colleges lists as some of the most prestigious universities in the country. The City University of New York (CUNY) system comprises more than two dozen campuses across the city to function as the biggest public urban university system in the country and provides affordable and quality education. On the topic of affordability, living in a college dorm associated with any of the schools in the Big Apple is often one of the most affordable solutions to finding reasonable housing in the city.

But New York is about more than just the city. The entire state is filled with great universities from Syracuse University and Cornell University to Vassar College and the SUNY system. The State University of New York is made up of more than fifty institutions and is just a portion of the complete list of options for students to get a degree in New York.

As far as amenities are concerned, living in New York allows students to make use of one of the best public transit systems in the United States, be a part of a thriving economy, and regularly spend time in one of the most widely recognized and sought after places on earth.

New York Higher Education By The Numbers

Colleges in New York

New York has the 2nd most colleges in the country with 404 colleges based there. For a little context, that is 321 more colleges than your typical state. 27% of colleges in New York are public, and 73% of its colleges are private. (111 public colleges & 293 private colleges). It has the 3rd most public colleges and the 2nd most private colleges of any US state.

Our top three public colleges in New York are United States Merchant Marine Academy, United States Military Academy, and SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. Our favorite private colleges are Columbia University in the City of New York, Cornell University, and New York University. New York University is the largest top 25 college (58,361 students).

Students in New York

The average state has 508,837 college students. New York has 1,040,781.862745 more. There are 873,842 public college students and 675,777 private college students in New York. It has the 4th most public students and the 2nd most private students of any state. Its 1,549,619 total students make it the 3rd most popular location in the country. 44% of New York's students attend private colleges which is the 9th highest percentage countrywide.