Academic Index Last updated: June 23, 2026

49 Best Universities in New York City for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

We ranked the top 49 universities for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in New York City based on strict academic metrics. Based on 519.9K scholarly articles and 18.76M peer-reviewed citations, we reveal the best research labs driving innovation in Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. This targeted approach bypasses general university reputation, directly revealing the strongest programs.

Active Filters: Liberal Arts & Social Sciences New York City Clear All

Ranking Methodology Notice

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1

Columbia University

#7 in United States #7 in North America

4% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1754 Founded

2

New York University

#16 in United States #17 in North America

9% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1520 Avg SAT

1831 Founded

3

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

4

Fordham University

#149 in United States #171 in North America

59% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1841 Founded

5

CUNY Graduate School and University Center

#1359 in United States #1439 in North America

68% Acceptance

17,560 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1961 Founded

6

Rockefeller University

#150 in United States #173 in North America

12% Acceptance

1,489 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

7

#215 in United States #242 in North America

63% Acceptance

6,591 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

8

CUNY Hunter College

#598 in United States #655 in North America

54% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1260 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

9

St John’s University – New York

#242 in United States #273 in North America

83% Acceptance

4,709 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

10

CUNY City College

#1320 in United States #1398 in North America

60% Acceptance

12,982 Enrollment

1250 Avg SAT

1847 Founded

11

King’s College

#739 in United States #807 in North America

77% Acceptance

1,784 Enrollment

1145 Avg SAT

1938 Founded

12

CUNY Brooklyn College

#1045 in United States #1119 in North America

58% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1145 Avg SAT

1930 Founded

13

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

#1457 in United States #1542 in North America

48% Acceptance

16,496 Enrollment

1250 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

14

New York Law School

#447 in United States #494 in North America

47% Acceptance

1,125 Enrollment

1485 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

15

CUNY Queens College

#1541 in United States #1627 in North America

64% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1150 Avg SAT

1937 Founded

16

Yeshiva University

#199 in United States #226 in North America

56% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1425 Avg SAT

1886 Founded

17

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

#1647 in United States #1734 in North America

57% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1075 Avg SAT

1964 Founded

18

Pace University

#277 in United States #308 in North America

76% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1260 Avg SAT

1906 Founded

19

SUNY Downstate Medical Center

#276 in United States #307 in North America

11% Acceptance

1,341 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1860 Founded

20

Barnard College

#307 in United States #341 in North America

9% Acceptance

3,487 Enrollment

1515 Avg SAT

1889 Founded

21

Phillips School of Nursing at Mount Sinai Beth Israel

#379 in United States #425 in North America

56% Acceptance

2,220 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

22

Lehman College, CUNY

#395 in United States #441 in North America

57% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1000 Avg SAT

1968 Founded

23

College of Staten Island CUNY

#1782 in United States #1871 in North America

92% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1956 Founded

24

Brooklyn Law School

#619 in United States #678 in North America

35% Acceptance

1,062 Enrollment

1485 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

25

Manhattan College

#587 in United States #644 in North America

79% Acceptance

4,202 Enrollment

1269 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

26

#755 in United States #823 in North America

88% Acceptance

669 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1883 Founded

27

#506 in United States #557 in North America

61% Acceptance

4,872 Enrollment

1336 Avg SAT

1971 Founded

28

CUNY School of Law

#1870 in United States #1961 in North America

35% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1305 Avg SAT

1983 Founded

29

Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York

#949 in United States #1021 in North America

74% Acceptance

302 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

30

Pratt Institute – Main

#361 in United States #403 in North America

73% Acceptance

1,784 Enrollment

1270 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

31

CUNY New York City College of Technology

#1803 in United States #1892 in North America

80% Acceptance

4,202 Enrollment

1020 Avg SAT

1946 Founded

32

School of Visual Arts

#541 in United States #596 in North America

93% Acceptance

1,989 Enrollment

1339 Avg SAT

1947 Founded

33

Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology

#1325 in United States #1403 in North America

100% Acceptance

1,070 Enrollment

1310 Avg SAT

1932 Founded

34

SUNY College of Optometry

#1159 in United States #1234 in North America

33% Acceptance

515 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1971 Founded

35

Jewish Theological Seminary of America

#931 in United States #1003 in North America

49% Acceptance

240 Enrollment

1510 Avg SAT

$58,152 Net Price

36

St Francis College

#1136 in United States #1211 in North America

100% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1060 Avg SAT

1859 Founded

37

Marymount Manhattan College

#1008 in United States #1081 in North America

83% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1214 Avg SAT

1936 Founded

38

Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion

#979 in United States #1051 in North America

86% Acceptance

20 Enrollment

1510 Avg SAT

39

Fashion Institute of Technology

#673 in United States #736 in North America

60% Acceptance

1,500 Enrollment

1463 Avg SAT

1944 Founded

40

New York College of Podiatric Medicine

#1546 in United States #1632 in North America

94% Acceptance

564 Enrollment

1140 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

41

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

#617 in United States #676 in North America

21% Acceptance

854 Enrollment

1398 Avg SAT

1859 Founded

42

Bank Street College of Education

#905 in United States #976 in North America

60% Acceptance

14,263 Enrollment

1140 Avg SAT

1916 Founded

43

CUNY Medgar Evers College

#1918 in United States #2010 in North America

86% Acceptance

17,560 Enrollment

935 Avg SAT

1970 Founded

44

Metropolitan College of New York

#1694 in United States #1782 in North America

90% Acceptance

63,012 Enrollment

1153 Avg SAT

1964 Founded

45

#1536 in United States #1622 in North America

96% Acceptance

8,206 Enrollment

1049 Avg SAT

1939 Founded

46

College of Mount Saint Vincent

#1373 in United States #1454 in North America

85% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1095 Avg SAT

1847 Founded

47

General Theological Seminary

#1676 in United States #1764 in North America

76% Acceptance

234 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

48

#1353 in United States #1433 in North America

68% Acceptance

5,514 Enrollment

1235 Avg SAT

1933 Founded

49

SUNY Maritime College

#1285 in United States #1363 in North America

72% Acceptance

1,285 Enrollment

1206 Avg SAT

1874 Founded