Academic Index Last updated: June 23, 2026

86 Best Universities in New York State

Exploring the academic landscape of New York State, our index provides a definitive ranking of the top 86 higher education institutions. We analyzed 2.28M scientific publications and 92.5M citations to accurately measure the research output of these institutions. Factoring in the global influence of 383K notable graduates, this index isolates true institutional success beyond traditional prestige.

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1

Ithaca

Cornell University

#4 in United States #4 in North America

9% Acceptance

16,128 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

2

New York City

Columbia University

#7 in United States #7 in North America

4% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1754 Founded

3

New York City

New York University

#16 in United States #17 in North America

9% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1520 Avg SAT

1831 Founded

4

Rochester, NY

University of Rochester

#56 in United States #60 in North America

40% Acceptance

6,580 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1850 Founded

5

Buffalo

University at Buffalo

#75 in United States #85 in North America

74% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1295 Avg SAT

1846 Founded

6

Stony Brook

Stony Brook University

#86 in United States #98 in North America

49% Acceptance

18,263 Enrollment

1415 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

7

Syracuse

Syracuse University

#113 in United States #129 in North America

46% Acceptance

14,074 Enrollment

1355 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

8

New York City

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

#117 in United States #134 in North America

12% Acceptance

2,220 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1963 Founded

9

Troy, NY

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

#120 in United States #139 in North America

63% Acceptance

5,741 Enrollment

1443 Avg SAT

1824 Founded

10

Albany, NY

#129 in United States #150 in North America

69% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1355 Avg SAT

1844 Founded

11

Rochester, NY

Rochester Institute of Technology

#148 in United States #170 in North America

67% Acceptance

14,267 Enrollment

1380 Avg SAT

1829 Founded

12

New York City

Fordham University

#149 in United States #171 in North America

59% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1841 Founded

13

New York City

Rockefeller University

#150 in United States #173 in North America

12% Acceptance

1,489 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

14

Vestal

Binghamton University

#176 in United States #200 in North America

39% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1420 Avg SAT

1946 Founded

15

New York City

Yeshiva University

#199 in United States #226 in North America

56% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1425 Avg SAT

1886 Founded

16

New York City

#215 in United States #242 in North America

63% Acceptance

6,591 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

17

Hempstead

Hofstra University

#228 in United States #257 in North America

68% Acceptance

669 Enrollment

1315 Avg SAT

1935 Founded

18

New York City

St John’s University – New York

#242 in United States #273 in North America

83% Acceptance

4,709 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

19

Syracuse

Upstate Medical University

#244 in United States #275 in North America

12% Acceptance

2,220 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1834 Founded

20

Ithaca

#274 in United States #305 in North America

69% Acceptance

1,784 Enrollment

1310 Avg SAT

1892 Founded

21

New York City

SUNY Downstate Medical Center

#276 in United States #307 in North America

11% Acceptance

1,341 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1860 Founded

22

New York City

Pace University

#277 in United States #308 in North America

76% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1260 Avg SAT

1906 Founded

23

Potsdam, NY

Clarkson University

#285 in United States #316 in North America

77% Acceptance

2,296 Enrollment

1295 Avg SAT

1896 Founded

24

Valhalla

New York Medical College

#301 in United States #334 in North America

9% Acceptance

814 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1860 Founded

25

Brookville

Long Island University

#323 in United States #359 in North America

86% Acceptance

4,709 Enrollment

1230 Avg SAT

1926 Founded

26

Albany, NY

Albany Medical College

#336 in United States #373 in North America

11% Acceptance

1,471 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1839 Founded

27

Annandale-On-Hudson

#340 in United States #377 in North America

52% Acceptance

2,438 Enrollment

1360 Avg SAT

1860 Founded

28

Syracuse

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

#343 in United States #382 in North America

63% Acceptance

12,029 Enrollment

1335 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

29

Garden City, NY

Adelphi University

#350 in United States #389 in North America

66% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1230 Avg SAT

1896 Founded

30

New York City

Lehman College, CUNY

#395 in United States #441 in North America

57% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1000 Avg SAT

1968 Founded

31

New York City

New York Law School

#447 in United States #494 in North America

47% Acceptance

1,125 Enrollment

1485 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

32

Brockport

SUNY College at Brockport

#482 in United States #531 in North America

71% Acceptance

6,938 Enrollment

1190 Avg SAT

1867 Founded

33

Alfred

Alfred University

#492 in United States #541 in North America

74% Acceptance

1,442 Enrollment

1203 Avg SAT

1836 Founded

34

Poughkeepsie

#497 in United States #546 in North America

57% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1265 Avg SAT

1929 Founded

35

Utica

SUNY Polytechnic Institute

#502 in United States #553 in North America

81% Acceptance

1,070 Enrollment

1198 Avg SAT

1966 Founded

36

New York City

#506 in United States #557 in North America

61% Acceptance

4,872 Enrollment

1336 Avg SAT

1971 Founded

37

Saint Bonaventure

St Bonaventure University

#590 in United States #647 in North America

82% Acceptance

2,042 Enrollment

1178 Avg SAT

1858 Founded

38

New York City

CUNY Hunter College

#598 in United States #655 in North America

54% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1260 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

39

New York City

Brooklyn Law School

#619 in United States #678 in North America

35% Acceptance

1,062 Enrollment

1485 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

40

Syracuse

Le Moyne College

#685 in United States #749 in North America

83% Acceptance

2,529 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1946 Founded

41

Lewiston, NY

Niagara University

#746 in United States #814 in North America

87% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1148 Avg SAT

1856 Founded

42

Rochester, NY

Saint John Fisher College

#750 in United States #818 in North America

66% Acceptance

5,429 Enrollment

1210 Avg SAT

1948 Founded

43

Old Westbury

New York Institute of Technology

#752 in United States #820 in North America

81% Acceptance

6,353 Enrollment

1305 Avg SAT

1955 Founded

44

New York City

#755 in United States #823 in North America

88% Acceptance

669 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1883 Founded

45

Dobbs Ferry

#762 in United States #830 in North America

86% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1178 Avg SAT

1952 Founded

46

Utica

#838 in United States #906 in North America

92% Acceptance

7,500 Enrollment

1120 Avg SAT

1946 Founded

47

Saratoga Springs

SUNY Empire State College

#863 in United States #932 in North America

100% Acceptance

5,429 Enrollment

1215 Avg SAT

1971 Founded

48

New York City

Jewish Theological Seminary of America

#931 in United States #1003 in North America

49% Acceptance

240 Enrollment

1510 Avg SAT

$58,152 Net Price

49

Albany, NY

Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

#948 in United States #1020 in North America

53% Acceptance

1,489 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1881 Founded

50

New York City

Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York

#949 in United States #1021 in North America

74% Acceptance

302 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

51

New York City

Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion

#979 in United States #1051 in North America

86% Acceptance

20 Enrollment

1510 Avg SAT

52

New York City

Juilliard School

#993 in United States #1066 in North America

9% Acceptance

1,989 Enrollment

1192 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

53

Rochester, NY

Roberts Wesleyan College

#1012 in United States #1085 in North America

71% Acceptance

1,393 Enrollment

1148 Avg SAT

1866 Founded

54

Rochester, NY

Nazareth College

#1026 in United States #1099 in North America

75% Acceptance

6,938 Enrollment

1195 Avg SAT

1924 Founded

55

Buffalo

D’Youville College

#1035 in United States #1109 in North America

81% Acceptance

1,258 Enrollment

1108 Avg SAT

1908 Founded

56

Amherst, NY

#1069 in United States #1143 in North America

68% Acceptance

1,653 Enrollment

1165 Avg SAT

1947 Founded

57

Troy, NY

#1070 in United States #1145 in North America

53% Acceptance

6,230 Enrollment

995 Avg SAT

1916 Founded

58

Albany, NY

Albany Law School

#1072 in United States #1147 in North America

70% Acceptance

1,062 Enrollment

1265 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

59

Purchase

Manhattanville College

#1093 in United States #1168 in North America

87% Acceptance

5,429 Enrollment

1178 Avg SAT

1841 Founded

60

Seneca Falls

New York Chiropractic College

#1124 in United States #1199 in North America

94% Acceptance

511 Enrollment

61

Rockville Centre

#1135 in United States #1210 in North America

82% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1189 Avg SAT

1955 Founded

62

New York City

SUNY College of Optometry

#1159 in United States #1234 in North America

33% Acceptance

515 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1971 Founded

63

New York City

Manhattan School of Music

#1190 in United States #1266 in North America

41% Acceptance

1,989 Enrollment

1339 Avg SAT

1917 Founded

64

New York City

CUNY City College

#1320 in United States #1398 in North America

60% Acceptance

12,982 Enrollment

1250 Avg SAT

1847 Founded

65

Nyack

#1348 in United States #1428 in North America

89% Acceptance

868 Avg SAT

1882 Founded

$22,184 Net Price

66

New York City

CUNY Graduate School and University Center

#1359 in United States #1439 in North America

68% Acceptance

17,560 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1961 Founded

67

New York City

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

#1457 in United States #1542 in North America

48% Acceptance

16,496 Enrollment

1250 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

68

New York City

New York College of Podiatric Medicine

#1546 in United States #1632 in North America

94% Acceptance

564 Enrollment

1140 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

69

New York City

Weill Cornell Medical College

#1610 in United States #1697 in North America

12% Acceptance

70

Buffalo

Medaille College

#1668 in United States #1756 in North America

67% Acceptance

6,938 Enrollment

1145 Avg SAT

1937 Founded

71

New York City

General Theological Seminary

#1676 in United States #1764 in North America

76% Acceptance

234 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

72

Orangeburg, NY

Dominican College of Blauvelt

#1709 in United States #1797 in North America

63% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1189 Avg SAT

1952 Founded

73

Dix Hills

Five Towns College

#1758 in United States #1847 in North America

54% Acceptance

923 Enrollment

1972 Founded

$24,724 Net Price

74

Rochester, NY

Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School

#1774 in United States #1863 in North America

100% Acceptance

234 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

75

New York City

College of Staten Island CUNY

#1782 in United States #1871 in North America

92% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1956 Founded

76

New York City

Teachers College at Columbia University

#1863 in United States #1954 in North America

17% Acceptance

77

New York City

CUNY School of Law

#1870 in United States #1961 in North America

35% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1305 Avg SAT

1983 Founded

78

New York City

New York Theological Seminary

#1968 in United States #2061 in North America

84% Acceptance

79

Yonkers

Saint Vladimirs Orthodox Theological Seminary

#1994 in United States #2087 in North America

92% Acceptance

80

Barrytown, NY

Unification Theological Seminary

#2140 in United States #2237 in North America

92% Acceptance

81

Rochester, NY

Northeastern Seminary

#2157 in United States #2256 in North America

88% Acceptance

82

New York City

Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem of America

#2327 in United States #2428 in North America

60% Acceptance

51 Enrollment

$8,290 Net Price

83

New York City

Rabbinical Academy Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin

#2425 in United States #2526 in North America

94% Acceptance

141 Enrollment

$7,614 Net Price

84

New York City

Mirrer Yeshiva Cent Institute

#2452 in United States #2553 in North America

89% Acceptance

120 Enrollment

$12,871 Net Price

85

Manhasset

Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine

#2460 in United States #2561 in North America

75% Acceptance

86

New York City

Yeshiva Derech Chaim

#2480 in United States #2581 in North America

88% Acceptance

115 Enrollment

$13,471 Net Price