What Others Say About SUNY

Ratings and Rankings

What do they mean?   How should you use them?

Simply stated, our summary of outside opinions and guidelines will help you develop your own college search criteria to choose a campus that is right for you. Remember, some of the best aspects of your college experience are measured by fit and feel, not by numbers and rankings. So, we gathered past and present perspectives that highlight the diversity of SUNY campuses and their surrounding communities. Here are few that caught our eye...

For more details about SUNY campus ratings and rankings, visit individual campus Web sites.

American Institute of Physics (2012)

  • Ranked Geneseo’s Physics Department second among the nation’s 500 mostly undergraduate institutions in producing students with physics degrees

American Institute for Economic Research (2012)

  • Buffalo Niagara region ranked 4th out of 227 U.S. metropolitan areas as a midsize environment conducive to an educational experience

Center for Green Schools (2013)

  • The Princeton Review, in collaboration with the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council, recognized these SUNY campuses as being among the 230 most environmentally responsible “green colleges” in the United States and Canada:
    Albany, Binghamton, Environmental Science and Forestry, Geneseo, New Paltz, Oneonta, Potsdam and Stony Brook

Chronicle of Higher Education (2010)

  • Buffalo, Binghamton and Delhi named "Great Colleges to Work For"

CollegesofDistinction.com (2012)

  • Brockport featured as a school that creates well-rounded graduates and a great place to get an education

Fashionista.com (2011)

  • FIT ranked #2 on 2011 list of the Top 20 Fashion Schools in the U.S.

Fiske Guide to Colleges*

  • Binghamton named "premier public university in the Northeast"
  • Binghamton, Geneseo and Stony Brook named "Best Buy" schools

Forbes Magazine*

  • America's Best College Buys - Albany, Binghamton, ESF and Stony Brook
  • America's Best Public Colleges - Albany, Binghamton, ESF and Stony Brook
  • Buffalo's School of Management ranked 48th among U.S. business schools providing best return on investment for the cost of a MBA degree
  • ESF ranked #3 on 2010 list of the 20 best colleges for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)

G.I. Jobs Magazine (2012)

  • These SUNY campuses were recognized as “military friendly” by the top-rated military publication:
    Albany, Alfred State, Binghamton, Brockport, Broome, Buffalo State, Clinton, Cobleskill, Columbia-Greene, Corning, Delhi, Empire State, Erie, Farmingdale State, Fredonia, Hudson Valley, SUNYIT, Jamestown, Jefferson, Maritime, Mohawk Valley, Monroe, Nassau, North Country, Old Westbury, Onondaga, Orange, Plattsburgh, Rockland, Schenectady, Stony Brook, Tompkins-Cortland and Ulster

Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine*

Albany, Brockport, Cortland, Fredonia, New Paltz, Plattsburgh and Purchase were recognized either as 100 Best Values Among Public Universities and/or 100 Best Values in Higher Education for Out-of-State Students

The following campuses received top ten rankings in specific categories:

  • Binghamton ranked #1 best value in nation for out-of-state students for 2011 and #3 best value for out-of-state students for 2013
  • University at Buffalo was listed as #5 lowest debt at graduation among public colleges for 2013
  • Geneseo was recognized as #1 best value in nation for out-of-state students for 2013; #2 best value in the nation for out-of-state students for 2011; and #9 best overall public college values for 2013
  • Oneonta ranked #3 on the 2013 list of the lowest debt at graduation among public colleges
  • Stony Brook ranked #9 best value in nation for out-of-state students for 2013

Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange (2012)

  • Buffalo is among the nation’s top 20 schools in hosting international students

Parade Magazine - A Sunday Newspaper Supplement (2010)

  • Geneseo named to the "A-List" of 20 small public schools in the nation

PayScale

  • Ranked Maritime #12 for new graduates who earn more than Harvard graduates (2012)
  • Maritime ranked #5 for best return on investment for resident students (2013)
  • Maritime ranked #7 for best return on investment for nonresident students (2013)

Petside.com (2012)

  • Canton named as a top ten pet-friendly college

President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll (2013)

  • These SUNY campuses were recognized by President Barack Obama for their commitment to bettering their communities through community service and service learning:
    Albany, Alfred State, Binghamton, Cobleskill, Cortland*, Delhi, Geneseo, ESF, Fredonia, Monroe Community College, Old Westbury, Oswego* and Stony Brook
    * Honor Roll with distinction

Princeton Review (for-profit group not connected to Princeton University)*

  • Buffalo, ESF, Geneseo, Oswego, Purchase and Stony Brook named Top 75 Best Value Colleges for 2013 – Public
  • Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Geneseo, Purchase and Stony Brook listed among "Best Colleges"
  • Albany, Binghamton, Brockport, Buffalo, Fredonia, Geneseo, New Paltz, Oswego, Purchase and Stony Brook listed among "Best Northeastern Colleges"
  • Binghamton was recognized in the following categories: Ranked 8th in Top 75 Best Value Colleges for 2013 – Public; 6th Best Value for Public Universities; "Green Honor Roll" for campus environmental policies, practices and academic offerings; "Ivy League academics and a good social experience at a state school price"; 17th for "more to do on campus"; student newspaper recognized as one of the nation's best
  • Buffalo and Stony Brook ranked in top 20 for most diverse population
  • ESF listed among the Guide to 286 Green Colleges for its eco-friendly campus, sustainability, "green" majors and "green" job placement
  • Purchase rated as #1 best school for theater

Treehugger.com

  • ESF ranked as one of the 10 best environmental programs in the nation

U.S. News and World Report*

These SUNY campuses...
Albany, Alfred State, Binghamton, Brockport, Buffalo, Buffalo State, Cobleskill, Cortland, Delhi, ESF, Farmingdale State, Fredonia, Geneseo, New Paltz, Old Westbury, Oneonta, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam, Purchase and Stony Brook
...were recognized by U.S. News and World Report in the following categories:
  • A-Plus Schools for B-Plus Students (ESF)
  • America's Best Colleges (public universities and colleges; public and private universities)
  • Best Buy Colleges in Northeast
  • Best Comprehensive Colleges - Bachelor's/North (all tiers)
  • Best National Universities (includes both public and private institutions)
  • Best Regional Universities in the North (Geneseo #2, New Paltz #7, Oneonta #9 and Fredonia #10 for 2011)
  • Best Universities - Master's
  • Best Universities Public or Private/North (all tiers)
  • Graduate Programs - 14 of Albany's programs are in the Nation's Top 25 for 2011
  • Great Schools, Great Prices
  • Least Amount of Debt - Binghamton and Buffalo are the only two schools in New York State, public or private, to be ranked as a place where students graduate with the least amount of debt for 2011
  • North Region universities with strong commitment to undergraduate teaching (Geneseo ranked #1 for 2011)
  • Notable Programs for Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects
  • One of the Most Selective Public Universities in Nation
  • Public and Private Universities in the North Offering Bachelor's and Master's Degree Programs
  • Science-oriented colleges in the Northeast
  • Top 45 Baccalaureate Colleges in North
  • Top 50 Public National Universities
  • Top 100 National Universities
  • Top Primary Care Training Programs
  • Top Public National Universities
  • Top Value National Universities
  • Top Public Schools/Regional Colleges (North)
  • Up-and-Comers - Binghamton ranked 11 th for 2011 (reflects institutions nominated by college administrators as having made the most promising and innovative changes in the areas of academics, faculty, student life, campus or facilities)

Wall Street Journal

  • Stony Brook ranked 8th among public universities with students enrolling in elite graduate programs

Washington Monthly*

  • ESF ranked #26 among the nation's top service-oriented colleges and universities (2010)
  • Geneseo ranked in numerous categories among 551 schools. These include 7th among master's universities; 11th for the number of alumni who go on to serve in the Peace Corps - relative to school size; and 11th in the research category for the number of its graduates who go on to receive doctorates - relative to school size; and 17th overall in the nation among all "master's universities" (2012)
  • North Country Community College named #1 Best Community College in New York and #22 Best Community College in the United States (2010)

*SUNY campuses are consistently recognized in a variety of categories, and many campuses are regularly profiled in these annual reports. The ratings and rankings published here reflect 2010 – 2013.


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