State University of New York (SUNY): Ranking, Fees, Courses, Admissions 2025

State University of New York (SUNY) is a renowned public university system in USA with a variety of academic programs across 64 campuses. It features world-class faculty, affordable tuition, and a strong focus on research and innovation. Check out everything you need to know about SUNY here from campus list to acceptance rates and fees. 

About State University of New York

The State University of New York (SUNY), with 64 campuses in the state of New York, was established in 1948. SUNY is one of the largest university systems in the country and is the only public university system in USA with two flagship campuses, that is, University at Buffalo and Stony Brook University. 

SUNY with a vast array of academic programs, from research-focused to community-based. It has more than 400,000 students every year. With a strong commitment to affordability and accessibility, SUNY plays a vital role in educating the workforce and driving economic development in New York and offering quality education to students. 

SUNY Highlights

Established in	1948
SUNY Campuses	64
Courses Offered	4,500+
Total Enrollment at SUNY (Fall 2023)	367,542
International Student Count	5.5%
Tuition Fee	Affordable, varies per campus
Degrees Granted Annually	96,000+
Acceptance Rate (Fall 2023)	Between 38% - 85.9%
Alumni Base	300,000+

History of SUNY System

The State University of New York (SUNY) was founded in 1948 as a merger of 29 separate institutions. At the time, the system included 11 teachers' colleges. Today, the system consists of 64 campuses and offers courses in fields from engineering and philosophy to medical education and maritime studies. SUNY is a leading public university in USA and the system caters to nearly 400,000 students, accounting for 37% of New York's higher education population.

A global alumni network of more than 3 million makes SUNY proud, owing to its 88,000 dedicated faculty and staff. While the majority of the students are from New York, SUNY also hosts a large number of out-of-state and international students. The faculty members are recognized for their contributions and excellence, both nationally and internationally. The university system aims at economic development and accessible, affordable education to students within and beyond New York.

State University of New York Campus List

The State University of New York comprises a whopping 64 campuses, where there are 16 major universities, then there are four specialised colleges, 10 community colleges, five statutory colleges with two health-related colleges and two additional colleges. SUNY universities in some cases also have multiple locations. A list of the popular SUNY universities falling under the State University of New York system is as follows:

• University at Buffalo 
• Stony Brook University
• The State University of New York Plattsburgh
• State University of New York at New Paltz
• State University of New York at Potsdam
• State University of New York At Oswego
• Binghamton University
• University at Albany
• Buffalo State University

Apart from these, some other popular SUNY campuses include - Upstate Medical University, Downstate Health Sciences University, Empire State University and others. Applicants can choose from any of these universities/colleges under the SUNY system and apply for admissions. 

State University of New York Rankings 2025

For some of the major universities of the State University of New York, the QS rankings along with Shiksha Grading have been given below for reference:

University	Shiksha Grading	QS World University Rankings 2025
University at Buffalo Ranking	A	#466
University at Albany SUNY Ranking	B++	851-900
SUNY Binghamton Ranking	B++	1001-1200
Stony Brook University Ranking	A	-
SUNY Buffalo State Ranking	C	-

Applicants aiming to apply to SUNY universities based on QS rankings can consider from University at Buffalo, SUNY Albany or SUNY Binghamton. All other campuses have not been ranked by QS but definitely have a Shiksha Grading to help applicants shortlist their SUNY universities for admission.

Courses at State University of New York

Talking about courses at SUNY, there are choices of courses in abundance, that is, 4,500 courses are available across the State University of New York. Applicants aiming to apply at any of the 64 campuses of SUNY can shortlist the courses followed by the SUNY campus and then prepare to apply. Here is a popular courses section for major universities under the State University of New York system:

Universities under SUNY System	Establishment Year	Popular Courses
SUNY Potsdam Courses	1816	Education, Music, Arts, Business Administration, Criminal Justice
SUNY New Paltz Courses	1828	Education, Business Administration, Psychology, Communications, Arts
SUNY Albany Courses	1844	Business Administration, Public Health, Social Work, Psychology, Criminal Justice
University at Buffalo Courses	1846	Business Administration, Engineering, Computer Science, Public Health, Education
SUNY Buffalo State University Courses	1871	Education, Business Administration, Psychology, Communications, Arts
SUNY Plattsburgh Courses	1890	Education, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Nursing
SUNY Oswego Courses	1906	Education, Business Administration, Communications, Criminal Justice, Arts
Binghamton University Courses	1946	Computer Science, Business Administration, Economics, Psychology, Biology
Stony Brook University Courses	1957	Medicine, Engineering, Computer Science, Business Management, Psychology

These courses that are offered may vary with the intake the applicant is preparing to apply to. Thus, applicants are advised to check all details before proceeding to apply to SUNY campuses. 

SUNY Admissions

Admissions at State University of New York vary from being extremely hard and selective to moderately selective. The acceptance rates for SUNY are anywhere between medium to high, and so are the enrollments. Check out the latest SUNY admission stats for fall 2023 in the sections below, campus-wise.

State University of New York Admission Stats

For the year 2023, the following were the enrollment numbers for popular university campuses across the SUNY system: 

Universities under SUNY System	Enrollment Numbers (Fall 2023)
University at Buffalo	31,891
Stony Brook University	25,825
Binghamton University	18,454
University at Albany	16,880
SUNY New Paltz	7,027
SUNY Oswego	6,756
Buffalo State University	6,405
SUNY Plattsburgh	4,417
SUNY Potsdam	2,501

As mentioned, the University of Buffalo admission stats records the highest enrollment numbers followed by SUNY Stony Brook admission and Binghamton University admissions. The lowest enrollments in the lot were recorded for SUNY Postdam in 2023. 

The State University of New York thus, enrols a high number of students across its campuses and has a high enrollment which is likely to attract more students to apply for admission.

State University of New York Acceptance Rate

After enrollment data, it is also essential to understand the acceptance rate trends at SUNY. Here is a list of the popular campuses under SUNY system and their acceptance rates for fall 2023 are as follows:

Universities under SUNY System	Acceptance Rate (Fall 2023)
University at Albany Acceptance Rate	85.9%
SUNY Potsdam Acceptance Rate	85%
SUNY Buffalo State University Acceptance Rate	82%
SUNY Oswego Acceptance Rate	80%
SUNY Plattsburgh Acceptance Rate	70.2%
University at Buffalo Acceptance Rate	69.3%
SUNY New Paltz Acceptance Rate	58%
Stony Brook University Acceptance Rate	49.01%
SUNY Binghamton Acceptance Rate	38%

As mentioned above, the acceptance rate at SUNY varies moderately to high acceptance rates. Where SUNY Albany records the highest acceptance rates among other SUNY campuses and SUNY Binghamton records the lowest acceptance rate for 2023. 

How to Apply for Admission at SUNY?

The process for applying for admission to SUNY from India is:

• Applicants will have to complete the SUNY Online Application.
• After signing up, they will have to log in and begin filling the application.
• They will have to submit standardised test scores of:
• UG: SAT or ACT (optional)
• PG: GRE / GMAT
• Show evidence of English language proficiency - 
• TOEFL 
• IELTS 
• PTE
• Submit financial documents
• Pay the USD 50 non-refundable application fee for undergraduate admissions. The SUNY application fee for graduate applications varies per course. 

Documents Required for SUNY Admissions

The following documents are required for admission at SUNY:

• Academic transcripts
• GPA scores
• Bachelor’s degree if applying for PG courses at SUNY
• Statement of Purpose (SOP) (for PG)
• Letter of Recommendation (LOR) (for PG)
• Admission essays
• Resume (for PG)

SUNY Admission Deadlines 2025

Admissions across SUNY are offered in both Spring and Fall intakes. The universities under SUNY system have two deadlines - regular and early deadlines. The deadlines across State University of New York will vary for all SUNY campuses and they are as follows:

Universities under SUNY System	Deadline to Apply 2025
SUNY Albany	11/15
SUNY Binghamton	11/1
University at Buffalo	11/1
SUNY Cortland	11/15
SUNY New Paltz	11/15
SUNY Old Westbury	11/15
SUNY Oswego	11/15
SUNY Poly	11/15
SUNY Stony Brook	11/1

Applicants are advised to check the deadlines course wise at their respective State University of New York campus and then apply for admissions. 

State University of New York Fees 2025

The cost of studying in USA is very high unless international applicants are opting to study at a public university like SUNY. The cost of studying at SUNY is lower one because it is a public university, second because it is one of cheapest options in New York for study. Check out the campus-wide tuition fee in the next section.

SUNY Tuition Fees

Check out the first year tuition fee for the following State University of New York campuses in the table below for both UG and PG courses, aiming to apply in 2025: 

Universities under SUNY	UG Fees 2025	PG Fees 2025
SUNY Potsdam Fees	$16,980.00	$23,100.00
SUNY Plattsburgh Fees	$16,980.00	$23,100.00
SUNY New Paltz Fees	$17,320.00	$23,100.00
SUNY Oswego Fees	$17,320.00	$19,026.00
Buffalo State University Fees	$19,903.00	$18,506.00
Binghamton University Fees	$26,950.00	$27,140.00
Stony Brook University Fees	$28,874.00	$26,330.00
University at Buffalo Fees	$31,535.54	$28,209.72
University at Albany Fees	$33,893.32	$30,370.32

Applicants must ensure that they cross-check the course fee twice before they plan to apply. Also, applicants must check the latest exchange rate based on their home country’s currency for more accuracy. 

Why Study at SUNY?

Several reasons make SUNY unique and a favourable international student destination. To delve deeper, the popular reasons to study at the State University of New York include:

• There are around 4,500-course options available for study at the State University of New York. From business, and STEM courses, to law, medicine, and humanities, all types of courses are available here.
• Known as a leading public university in USA, SUNY is renowned for its quality education and high-end research taught by well-qualified faculty members who are Nobel Prize winners.
• The SUNY is a leading educational brand in the USA and a popular public research university which has the largest number of campuses - 64 and more than 20 renowned universities.
• The cost of attending SUNY records lower tuition costs in comparison to other universities in New York City because it is a public university. 
• Though the cost of living in New York City is slightly higher, yet the cost of studying at SUNY balances it out. 
• Finally, New York City is the 11th greatest economic contributor in the world. Hence, there is everything here - top universities like SUNY with low study costs in USA, internship opportunities and the highest paying jobs in USA.

Thus, the reasons given above make SUNY an exemplary option for studying among international students. With a wide range of diverse programs, world-class faculty, and affordable tuition, SUNY provides an exceptional experience for students. Be it STEM, humanities, or professional fields, SUNY has something to offer in every category.

Need more clarity and assistance in choosing the right university from the SUNY system? Sign up for our free Shiksha Abroad Counselling and request a callback from our team of expert counsellors for guidance.