Here Are The Best NY Colleges, According To New Rankings

NEW YORK — Columbia University is the best college in New York state, according to rankings released Monday by Niche, a college ranking and review platform. In all, two colleges in New York were ranked among the nation's 25 best.

Niche said its 2024 Best Colleges Rankings reflect the declining importance of SAT and ACT scores and the increasing importance prospective students and their families place on value and economic mobility — that is, the ability of students to improve their economic status after graduation.

The platform evaluated 4,048 public and private four-year colleges nationwide and developed separate lists for the best academics value, food, dorms and college life.

The top five colleges in New York state are:

1. Columbia University
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 4%
Net price: $12,411 / year
SAT range: 1470-1570

2. Cornell University
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 9%
Net price: $24,262 / year
SAT range: 1450-1560

3. Barnard College
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 11%
Net price: $28,366 / year
SAT range: 1380-1550

4. New York University
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 13%
Net price: $50,991 / year
SAT range: 1450-1570

5. Hamilton College
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 14%
Net price: $26,803 / year
SAT range: 1410-1540

Other New York schools ranked by Niche are found on the website.

To rank the schools, Niche analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Education along with reviews and ratings from current students, alumni and parents. The new economic mobility index takes into account the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants, the net tuition price for students from low-income households and the median earnings of those students six years after they get their first post-graduation jobs.

The top schools nationwide are, respectively: Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Stanford University, Stanford, California; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge; Harvard University, Cambridge; and Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey.

The best value colleges are, respectively, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California; Stanford University; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; California Institute of Technology, Pasadena; and Clarmont-McKenna College.

Schools in New York ranked among the 25 best value colleges in the nation are:

• Columbia (No. 19 in U.S.)
• Address: West 116 St. and Broadway, NY, NY.
• CUNY Baruch College (No. 21 in U.S.)
  • Address: 1 Bernard Baruch Way (55 Lexington Ave. at 24th St., New York, NY.