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Most selective colleges in New York

Updated Federal and Common Data Set numbers, each with its year

The short answer

The most selective four-year colleges in New York are Columbia (4.9% admitted), Cornell (8.4% admitted) and NYU (9.1% admitted), by acceptance rate.

Selective here means a low acceptance rate: the share of applicants the college admitted. A low rate says how many people a college turns away, not how good a fit it is for you. Each row also shows the average price after grants.

The list (25 of 119)

Four-year colleges in New York with 500 or more undergraduates, lowest acceptance rate first. The list shows 25 of the 119 colleges with an acceptance rate on file. Rates come from IPEDS (fall 2024) for 13 colleges and each college's own Common Data Set (fall 2025) for 12 colleges.

  1. Columbia University in the City of New York 4.9% admitted New York, NY · Average price after grants: $15,370 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  2. Cornell University 8.4% admitted Ithaca, NY · Average price after grants: $33,934 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  3. New York University 9.1% admitted New York, NY · Average price after grants: $35,737 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  4. Barnard College 10% admitted New York, NY · Average price after grants: $28,930 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  5. United States Military Academy 13% admitted West Point, NY Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  6. Hamilton College 14% admitted Clinton, NY · Average price after grants: $25,793 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  7. Helene Fuld College of Nursing 17% admitted New York, NY · Average price after grants: $38,536 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  8. Colgate University 18% admitted Hamilton, NY · Average price after grants: $29,409 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  9. Cooper Union 21% admitted New York, NY · Average price after grants: $12,999 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  10. Vassar College 21% admitted Poughkeepsie, NY · Average price after grants: $36,924 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  11. Skidmore College 24% admitted Saratoga Springs, NY · Average price after grants: $31,829 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  12. American Musical and Dramatic Academy 25% admitted New York, NY · Average price after grants: $43,641 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  13. Plaza College 30% admitted Forest Hills, NY · Average price after grants: $26,326 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  14. United States Merchant Marine Academy 34% admitted Kings Point, NY · Average price after grants: $1,516 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  15. Binghamton University 37% admitted Vestal, NY · Average price after grants: $20,907 a year in-state, about $42,807 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  16. Manhattan School of Music 41% admitted New York, NY · Average price after grants: $55,613 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  17. University of Rochester 42% admitted Rochester, NY · Average price after grants: $34,347 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  18. Union College 44% admitted Schenectady, NY · Average price after grants: $28,128 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  19. Maria College of Albany 45% admitted Albany, NY · Average price after grants: $20,375 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  20. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College 48% admitted New York, NY · Average price after grants: $657 a year in-state, about $8,607 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  21. Stony Brook University 48% admitted Stony Brook, NY · Average price after grants: $18,902 a year in-state, about $42,882 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  22. Syracuse University 49% admitted Syracuse, NY · Average price after grants: $43,336 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  23. Bard College 52% admitted Annandale-On-Hudson, NY · Average price after grants: $27,126 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  24. Russell Sage College 53% admitted Troy, NY · Average price after grants: $21,084 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  25. CUNY Hunter College 54% admitted New York, NY · Average price after grants: $1,051 a year in-state, about $9,001 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
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What are the most selective colleges in New York?

The most selective four-year colleges in New York are Columbia (4.9% admitted), Cornell (8.4% admitted) and NYU (9.1% admitted), by acceptance rate.

How many colleges on this list admit fewer than half of applicants?

22 of the 25 colleges listed admitted fewer than half of their applicants.

How recent are these acceptance rates?

Each row shows its year. Rates come from IPEDS, the federal college survey, for students who applied for fall 2024, or from the college's own Common Data Set for fall 2025 where that is newer.

Numbers change each year when colleges and the Department of Education publish new data. Confirm costs and admission rules with the college before you apply.

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