Check your syllabus! A new ranking of New York colleges and universities has just dropped, and our favorite city has some well-deserved bragging rights.
With early-decision deadlines fast approaching on November 1, there’s no better time for college-bound students to take a closer look at their options. And according to a new study from WalletHub, one NYC university has earned the No. 1 spot in the state.
The 2027 rankings evaluated nearly 740 colleges and universities nationwide across 30 metrics, including admission rates, graduation rates, student-faculty ratios, affordability, campus safety, and post-graduation salaries. Columbia University took the top spot among New York institutions, followed by Cornell University and The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art.
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Why Columbia Ranked Number 1
Columbia University in the City of New York earned top honors by sweeping multiple core metrics evaluated in the report:
- Top Performance (1st): Ranked 1st across Admission Rate, Student-Faculty Ratio, Gender & Racial Diversity, and Graduation Rate.
- Post-Graduation Success: Secured 2nd place for Post-Attendance Median Salary.
- Campus Safety: Ranked 22nd for On-Campus Crime.
- Affordability: Placed 49th in Net Cost.
How the Schools Were Ranked
WalletHub compared nearly 740 higher-education institutions in the U.S. based on 30 key measures grouped into seven categories:
- Student Selectivity
- Cost & Financing
- Career Outcomes
The data set ranges from student-faculty ratios to graduation rates to salaries after graduation.
Top 10 Colleges & Universities in New York
- Columbia University in the City of New York
- Cornell University
- The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
- Hamilton College
- Barnard College
- Vassar College
- New York University
- Colgate University
- University of Rochester
- Binghamton University