Academic Index Last updated: June 23, 2026

35 Best Universities in New York City for Optics

Focusing specifically on Optics, our data science engine identified the 35 most influential universities in New York City. To determine these leaders, we isolated 1.12M specialized research publications which collectively generated 47.73M citations. This targeted approach bypasses general university reputation, directly revealing the strongest programs.

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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

Rockefeller University

#150 in United States #173 in North America

12% Acceptance

1,489 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

5

Fordham University

#149 in United States #171 in North America

59% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1841 Founded

6

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

#1457 in United States #1542 in North America

48% Acceptance

16,496 Enrollment

1250 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

7

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

8

Pratt Institute – Main

#361 in United States #403 in North America

73% Acceptance

1,784 Enrollment

1270 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

9

CUNY Queens College

#1541 in United States #1627 in North America

64% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1150 Avg SAT

1937 Founded

10

#755 in United States #823 in North America

88% Acceptance

669 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1883 Founded

11

Barnard College

#307 in United States #341 in North America

9% Acceptance

3,487 Enrollment

1515 Avg SAT

1889 Founded

12

CUNY Graduate School and University Center

#1359 in United States #1439 in North America

68% Acceptance

17,560 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1961 Founded

13

King’s College

#739 in United States #807 in North America

77% Acceptance

1,784 Enrollment

1145 Avg SAT

1938 Founded

14

Pace University

#277 in United States #308 in North America

76% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1260 Avg SAT

1906 Founded

15

Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology

#1325 in United States #1403 in North America

100% Acceptance

1,070 Enrollment

1310 Avg SAT

1932 Founded

16

Fashion Institute of Technology

#673 in United States #736 in North America

60% Acceptance

1,500 Enrollment

1463 Avg SAT

1944 Founded

17

SUNY Downstate Medical Center

#276 in United States #307 in North America

11% Acceptance

1,341 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1860 Founded

18

CUNY City College

#1320 in United States #1398 in North America

60% Acceptance

12,982 Enrollment

1250 Avg SAT

1847 Founded

19

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

20

St John’s University – New York

#242 in United States #273 in North America

83% Acceptance

4,709 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

21

SUNY Maritime College

#1285 in United States #1363 in North America

72% Acceptance

1,285 Enrollment

1206 Avg SAT

1874 Founded

22

CUNY Hunter College

#598 in United States #655 in North America

54% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1260 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

23

#215 in United States #242 in North America

63% Acceptance

6,591 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

24

SUNY College of Optometry

#1159 in United States #1234 in North America

33% Acceptance

515 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1971 Founded

25

Manhattan College

#587 in United States #644 in North America

79% Acceptance

4,202 Enrollment

1269 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

26

Yeshiva University

#199 in United States #226 in North America

56% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1425 Avg SAT

1886 Founded

27

School of Visual Arts

#541 in United States #596 in North America

93% Acceptance

1,989 Enrollment

1339 Avg SAT

1947 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

#506 in United States #557 in North America

61% Acceptance

4,872 Enrollment

1336 Avg SAT

1971 Founded

30

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

31

Lehman College, CUNY

#395 in United States #441 in North America

57% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1000 Avg SAT

1968 Founded

32

College of Staten Island CUNY

#1782 in United States #1871 in North America

92% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1956 Founded

33

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

34

New York College of Podiatric Medicine

#1546 in United States #1632 in North America

94% Acceptance

564 Enrollment

1140 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

35

CUNY Brooklyn College

#1045 in United States #1119 in North America

58% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1145 Avg SAT

1930 Founded