by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. College Factual has developed its Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking as one thing you can use to help make this decision.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
After analyzing 143 schools in New York, we came up with our list of those that offered the best value programs. To come up with this ranking of the best value schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
Our Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking is determined by first looking at the combined costs of average tuition, fees, and room and board before any aid is applied. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.
To account for this we consider a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Find out more about our best value ranking methodology.
Keep scrolling for the top schools in this ranking or select one of the other rankings methods below.
If you know what major you want to study, check out our list of the best value schools by major. If you're interested in other degree levels, you can view one of the lists below.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Hunter College tops this year’s ranking as the best value (no aid) school in New York for overall quality. This large public school is located in New York, New York.
Not only is Hunter College a great value, but it is also ranked #23 in New York for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $17,811 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $21,827 a year.
Out of the 143 schools in New York that were part of this year’s ranking, The Graduate Center, CUNY landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in New York, New York, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
The Graduate Center, CUNY has the honor of being ranked #14 in New York for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $24,598 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $27,598 a year.
Out of the 143 schools in New York that were part of this year’s ranking, Suffolk County Community College landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Selden, New York, the school is a large public institution.
Suffolk County Community College has the honor of being ranked #54 in New York for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $16,258 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $9,988 a year.
The quality degree programs at SUNY Empire State College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money in New York. SUNY Empire is located in Saratoga Springs, New York and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, SUNY Empire State College is ranked #39 for quality in the state of New York. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $19,230 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $23,470 per year for graduate students.
Out of the 143 schools in New York that were part of this year’s ranking, John Jay College of Criminal Justice landed the #4 spot on the list. John Jay is located in New York, New York and has a fairly large student population. It is a public school.
John Jay College of Criminal Justice has the honor of being ranked #19 in New York for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $24,658 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $28,720 per year for graduate students.
Queens College landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking. QC is a public institution located in Queens, New York.
Queens College has the honor of being ranked #31 in New York for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $22,326 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $26,400 per year for graduate students.
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking. Located in Syracuse, New York, the school is a small public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is ranked #17 for quality in the state of New York. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $27,096 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $31,050 a year.
Full SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Value Report
Excelsior University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in New York list. Excelsior University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Albany, New York.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Excelsior University is ranked #22 for quality in the state of New York. The average cost without aid for the school is $11,000 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $11,000 per year for graduate students.
Stony Brook University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking. This large public school is located in Stony Brook, New York.
Stony Brook University has the honor of being ranked #20 in New York for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $25,953 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $29,336 per year for graduate students.
Plaza College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking, coming in at #10. Forest Hills, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a private for-profit school.
Plaza College has the honor of being ranked #50 in New York for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $20,450 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $7,000 per year for graduate students.
University at Buffalo ranked #11 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in New York list. University at Buffalo is a large public school located in Buffalo, New York.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University at Buffalo is ranked #24 for quality in the state of New York. The average cost without aid for the school is $26,234 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $29,840 a year.
With a ranking of #12, SUNY Cortland did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in New York list. Located in Cortland, New York, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
Not only is SUNY Cortland a great value, but it is also ranked #40 in New York for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $22,015 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $26,255 a year.
Fashion Institute of Technology landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in New York, New York.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Fashion Institute of Technology is ranked #6 for quality in the state of New York. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $34,793 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $39,165 per year for graduate students.
Baruch College landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking. Baruch is a fairly large public school situated in New York, New York.
Not only is Baruch College a great value, but it is also ranked #25 in New York for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $26,911 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $30,899 a year.
With a ranking of #15, Binghamton University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in New York list. This fairly large public school is located in Vestal, New York.
Not only is Binghamton University a great value, but it is also ranked #26 in New York for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $27,454 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $30,844 per year for graduate students.
Borough of Manhattan Community College landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking. This fairly large public school is located in New York, New York.
Not only is Borough of Manhattan Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #52 in New York for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $22,358 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $17,188 per year for graduate students.
Read full value report on Borough of Manhattan Community College
University at Albany ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in New York list. This fairly large public school is located in Albany, New York.
Not only is University at Albany a great value, but it is also ranked #33 in New York for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $25,461 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $28,588 a year.
Hudson Valley Community College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking. Located in Troy, New York, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
Hudson Valley Community College has the honor of being ranked #87 in New York for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $15,964 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $10,000 a year.
Nassau Community College landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking. Garden City, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Nassau Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #64 in New York for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $21,100 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $14,770 per year for graduate students.
Rockland Community College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in New York list. Rockland Community College is located in Suffern, New York and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Rockland Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #81 in New York for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $17,720 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $11,600 per year for graduate students.
The City College of New York ranked #21 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in New York list. The City College of New York is a fairly large public school located in New York, New York.
Not only is The City College of New York a great value, but it is also ranked #45 in New York for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $23,832 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $27,894 per year for graduate students.
With a ranking of #22, Monroe Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in New York list. Rochester, New York is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Monroe Community College has the honor of being ranked #99 in New York for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $14,452 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $8,790 a year.
Bryant & Stratton College - Online did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking, coming in at #23. Bryant & Stratton College - Online is a medium-sized private for-profit school situated in Orchard Park, New York.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Bryant & Stratton College - Online is ranked #83 for quality in the state of New York. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $18,095 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $2,800 a year.
Brooklyn College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in New York list. Brooklyn College is a fairly large public school situated in Brooklyn, New York.
Brooklyn College has the honor of being ranked #44 in New York for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $24,628 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $28,710 a year.
LaGuardia Community College landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking. LaGuardia is located in Long Island City, New York and has a fairly large student population. It is a public school.
Not only is LaGuardia Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #51 in New York for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $24,316 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $19,098 a year.
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These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges for the Money in New York ranking:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | SUNY Geneseo | Geneseo, NY | Value Report |
| 27 | Touro College | New York, NY | Value Report |
| 28 | Purchase College | Purchase, NY | Value Report |
| 29 | SUNY New Paltz | New Paltz, NY | Value Report |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.