Acceptance rates for New York colleges vary widely, with ultracompetitive Ivy League schools admitting fewer than 10% of those who apply, to community colleges that accept everyone. Many four-year colleges within the state land squarely in the middle: The average acceptance rate for New York colleges was 65% during the 2025-26 school year, meaning the odds of being accepted in-state are better than not.

"The data for New York colleges follows the national trends," said Andrea Goldman, a certified educational planner and founder at the Long Island-based Family College Experience. "The acceptance rates at the elite/private end have dropped sharply due to the increase in number of applicants, while class sizes are remaining generally the same. This is a mathematical equation, not a measurement of academic strength."

Meanwhile, admission to "public Ivy" flagship universities (think Binghamton, Stony Brook) has also become more selective, "but the overall four-year public college acceptance rate has actually risen," she said.

Newsday’s analysis of the most current acceptance rates at nearly 170 selected colleges in the state comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard. The data includes private universities and colleges, as well as public institutions across the State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY) systems.

5 hardest NY colleges to get into

Columbia University (4%)

The Ivy League university based in Manhattan has the lowest acceptance rate in the state.

Cornell University (9%)

The upstate university is the largest Ivy League university by sheer enrollment. It's also distinctive for its academic focus on the sciences, as well as standout programs in hospitality, architecture and labor relations.

Barnard College (9%)

The private liberal arts university is one of the most select women's colleges in the country.

The Juilliard School (9%)

Juilliard is a nationally known school for the study of performing arts.

New York University (9%)

NYU is the largest private research university in the United States, and has the largest number of international students.

SUNY, CUNY college acceptance rates

With a 39% acceptance rate, Binghamton is the hardest SUNY college to get into, followed by Stony Brook at 49%. Newsday’s analysis found that several state schools show a dramatic increase in the acceptance rates over the past decade: SUNY Morrisville (from 56% to 92%) SUNY at Purchase College (from 41% to 74%) and SUNY Oswego (from 48% to 81%). Even more accessible: SUNY College of Technology at Canton (92%) and SUNY College of Technology at Delhi (89%).

"What we're seeing in New York mirrors broader national trends," said Jill Madenberg, a private college counselor with more than 30 years of experience. "Flagship universities have grown increasingly competitive over time while many of their smaller regional counterparts in most states, and in New York, have become less difficult to gain admission to."

Acceptance rates also vary widely across New York City's CUNY system of public higher education colleges. It's harder to get into flagship campuses like Baruch (48%), Hunter (54%) and niche schools like the John Jay College of Criminal Justice (57%).

"In recent years, applications and acceptances at CUNY’s four-year colleges have increased, reflecting both broader trends — such as higher average applicant GPAs — and the University’s efforts to position CUNY as a vital engine of upward mobility," said CUNY spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the acceptance rates are high at the College of Staten Island (92%), Medgar Evers College (86%) and CUNY New York City College of Technology (80%). Bear in mind: These colleges offer both associate and bachelor’s degrees, and the acceptance rate is an overall metric.

Experts agree acceptance rate is just a starting point and should be taken with a grain of salt.

"The rate of acceptance shouldn’t automatically be a referendum on the school’s strength,' Goldman said.

"There are so many factors that go into figuring out what you should be prioritizing when evaluating colleges. Your intended major can play a big role, especially when it comes to your chances of admissions,’ says Madenberg.

Easiest NY colleges to get into

New York's community colleges are part of the SUNY or CUNY networks and generally follow an open admissions policy, meaning anyone who has a high school diploma (or equivalent) can enroll. Specific programs like specialized healthcare might have prerequisites or a minimum grade-point average.

But there are also private colleges with a better-than-95% acceptance rate, including:

Trocaire College (97%)

The Catholic junior college in Buffalo has programs in nursing, healthcare and veterinary technology.

Hilbert College (97%)

The private college in upstate Hamburg offers programs in criminal justice, intelligence, and forensics.

LIM College (96%)

The New York City-based college is focused on the intersections of business, fashion and lifestyle.

Compare Long Island college acceptance rates

Long Island's most-competitive college for admission is the Webb Institute, a naval architecture and marine engineering college in Glen Cove that admits just 14% of applicants and awards most of them full-tuition scholarships. Then comes Stony Brook University. All other local four-year colleges have a better than 50% acceptance rate: