Top New York Colleges and Universities

Top Five Schools in New York

Columbia University

Columbia University was founded in 1754 by King George II of England, making it the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York. The university is located in uptown Manhattan and is currently ranked number nine by US News and World Report. Columbia has an undergraduate population of 7,318, as well as a very large graduate student population. Students have the opportunity to not only take advantage of the world-renown engineering, law, architecture and medical programs, but also to experience all the cultural and business events that take place in the New York City area.

Cornell University

Since 1865, Cornell University has been a cornerstone of education in New York State around the world. The university is located in Ithaca, NY, a small upstate community in the Fingerlakes Region. Its 13,562 undergraduate students study a wide variety of majors; some of the more distinguished departments include engineering and veterinary medicine. Cornell is unique among other Ivy League institutions in that it houses both public and private colleges. US News and World Report ranks Cornell #12 on its list of America's Best Colleges.

New York University

In the heart of New York City's Greenwich Village lies New York City University. Founded in 1831, NYU is now one of the largest private universities in the United States. It has an undergraduate enrollment of 20,965 and is ranked #34 on US News and World Report's list of America's Best Colleges. Since it is right in the middle of New York City's cultural and arts district, the university is well known for its Institute of Art and the excellent Tisch School of the Arts. NYU also has one of the oldest law schools in the nation.

University of Rochester

The University of Rochester began in 1850 in teh city of Rochester, New York. Rochester is found in upstate New York and is the ideal setting for this top research institution. US News and World Report ranks University of Rochester #35 on its list of America's Best Colleges. With 4,608 undergraduate students, the University of Rochester is a small, intimate university that also is a well-respected for research in the state of New York. The School of Engineering is one of the largest colleges on campus; and because the university sits in Rochester, engineering students enjoy many nearby internship opportunities at local technological companies.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a very well-respected technical institution in Troy, New York. The university currently has 5,192 undergraduate students on campus; and most all of these students are studying some variation of computer science. Besides being a mecca for the study of general computer science, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is also very advanced in the study of robotics. The university is very selective in its entering class and only accepts the most qualified students whose primary interests are computer technology. It is ranked #44 by US News and World Report.