Mahadev Maitri Foundation
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Program Rankings · New York

Best Liberal Arts Colleges in New York

Ranked by a weighted composite of outcomes, affordability, selectivity, academic profile, and program depth. Based on NCES IPEDS 2023–24 completions data.

112
Colleges Ranked
78
4-Year Programs
60
Public Colleges
Cornell University
Top Ranked
Ranking Methodology: Each college earns a major score = 70% global composite score (outcomes 30%, affordability 25%, selectivity 20%, academic 15%, breadth 10%) + 30% program depth score (graduates in this major ÷ total enrollment, normalized across all US colleges).
1
73
Cornell University
Ithaca · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
8% accept95% grad rate48 graduates/yr
#11 nationally
2
72
Columbia University in the City of New York
New York · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
4% accept95% grad rate15 graduates/yr
#16 nationally
3
66
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
18% accept89% grad rate6 graduates/yr
#49 nationally
#4
64
Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
23% accept82% grad rate27 graduates/yr
#64 nationally
#5
62
University of Rochester
Rochester · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
36% accept84% grad rate6 graduates/yr
#95 nationally
#6
58
Binghamton University
Vestal · Public · 4-year
38% accept84% grad rate$7,070 in-state3 graduates/yr
#180 nationally
#7
58
Syracuse University
Syracuse · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
42% accept81% grad rate42 graduates/yr
#159 nationally
#8
55
Niagara University
Niagara University · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
85% accept70% grad rate27 graduates/yr
#385 nationally
#9
54
New York University
New York · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
9% accept89% grad rate1,605 graduates/yr
#39 nationally
#10
54
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook · Public · 4-year
49% accept78% grad rate$7,070 in-state198 graduates/yr
#530 nationally
#11
53
Canisius University
Buffalo · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
82% accept71% grad rate6 graduates/yr
#988 nationally
#12
53
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York · Public · 4-year
50% accept72% grad rate$6,930 in-state27 graduates/yr
#934 nationally
#13
53
Manhattanville College
Purchase · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
85% accept54% grad rate12 graduates/yr
#994 nationally
#14
53
Yeshiva University
New York · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
64% accept85% grad rate18 graduates/yr
#999 nationally
#15
52
Fordham University
Bronx · Private Nonprofit · 4-year
56% accept80% grad rate27 graduates/yr
#1282 nationally
About Liberal Arts Programs in New York

New York offers 112 accredited liberal arts programs across public and private institutions. Our rankings use NCES IPEDS 2023–24 completions data to measure how many graduates each college produces in this field relative to its total enrollment, combined with overall college quality metrics.

The ranking formula weights overall college quality at 70% — covering graduation outcomes, net price affordability, admissions selectivity, and academic profile of enrolled students — and program-specific depth at 30%, rewarding schools that genuinely specialize in liberal arts.

For in-state students, public colleges often offer significantly lower costs. Complete the FAFSA to determine need-based aid eligibility regardless of your income level. Aid availability can dramatically change the actual cost of attendance.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Based on our composite ranking — which weighs outcomes (graduation rates), affordability (net price), selectivity, academic profile, and program depth — the top-ranked college for Liberal Arts in New York is Cornell University. We rank all accredited institutions offering this program using NCES IPEDS 2023–24 data.

Explore Other Majors in New York