Best Liberal Arts Colleges in New York (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 27 schools in New York that offer Liberal Arts by median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. Molloy University leads the list at $71,097, followed by CUNY Bernard M Baruch College at $68,471 and New York University at $66,502.
Across the 25 schools with a published figure, median earnings range from $71,097 to $21,052, with a median of $51,363. For 6 of the 27 listed schools the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list includes 11 public and 16 private nonprofit institutions. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College posts the lowest average net price at $3,033, while CUNY Bernard M Baruch College ranks 2nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Cornell University reports the highest six-year completion rate on the page at 95%.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Liberal Arts Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Molloy University · Rockville Centre, NY | $71,097 | $24,347 | $17,548 | 81.7% |
| Molloy University reports $71,097 in median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (26 graduates) | |||||
| 2 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College · New York, NY | $68,471 | $3,033 | $607 | 47.5% |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College carries an average net price of $3,033, the lowest among the 27 schools, and ranks 2nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (22 graduates) | |||||
| 3 | New York University · New York, NY | $66,502 | $37,050 | $16,977 | 9.2% |
| New York University admits 9% of applicants and posts a six-year completion rate of 88% alongside median earnings of $66,502 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (549 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($66,502) | |||||
| 4 | Pace University · New York, NY | $65,637 | $30,892 | $26,473 | 75.9% |
| Pace University ranks 4th on this page with $65,637 in median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $30,892. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (31 graduates) | |||||
| 5 | St. Francis College · Brooklyn, NY | $64,725 | $18,129 | $15,700 | Not reported |
| St. Francis College shows an average net price of $15,700 for families earning under $30,000 and a six-year completion rate of 55%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (12 graduates) | |||||
| 6 | Rochester Institute of Technology · Rochester, NY | $63,845 | $34,906 | $24,680 | 66.9% |
| Rochester Institute of Technology reports $63,845 in median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing and admits 67% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (92 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($63,845) | |||||
| 7 | The New School · New York, NY | $62,976 | $58,741 | $50,140 | 63.5% |
| The New School posts median earnings of $62,976 four years after completing and an average net price of $50,140 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (90 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($62,976) | |||||
| 8 | CUNY Medgar Evers College · Brooklyn, NY | $61,987 | $5,718 | $4,368 | 86.1% |
| CUNY Medgar Evers College has a six-year completion rate of 20% and carries an average net price of $5,718. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (10 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($61,987) | |||||
| 9 | CUNY City College · New York, NY | $58,063 | $3,776 | $1,251 | 60.0% |
| With an average net price of $3,776, CUNY City College reports $58,063 in median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (87 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($58,063) | |||||
| 10 | St. John's University-New York · Queens, NY | $52,601 | $29,999 | $27,787 | 83.4% |
| St. John's University-New York admits 83% of applicants and shows an average net price of $27,787 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (6 graduates) | |||||
| 11 | St. Joseph's University-New York · Brooklyn, NY | $52,543 | $19,035 | $16,876 | 72.1% |
| A six-year completion rate of 69% and median earnings of $52,543 four years after completing are reported by St. Joseph's University-New York. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (43 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($52,543) | |||||
| 12 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh · Plattsburgh, NY | $52,108 | $17,156 | $9,400 | 78.4% |
| State University of New York at Plattsburgh carries an average net price of $9,400 for families earning under $30,000 and admits 78% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (14 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($52,108) | |||||
| 13 | SUNY Old Westbury · Old Westbury, NY | $51,363 | $11,282 | $6,645 | 83.6% |
| SUNY Old Westbury reports $51,363 in median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $11,282. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (25 graduates) | |||||
| 14 | College of Staten Island CUNY · Staten Island, NY | $49,129 | $5,579 | $3,903 | 92.3% |
| College of Staten Island CUNY admits 92% of applicants and carries an average net price of $5,579. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (42 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($49,129) | |||||
| 15 | Sarah Lawrence College · Bronxville, NY | $48,225 | $41,437 | $29,876 | 61.7% |
| Sarah Lawrence College, a private nonprofit institution in Bronxville, has a six-year completion rate of 71% and posts an average net price of $41,437. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (318 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($48,225) | |||||
| 16 | SUNY at Purchase College · Purchase, NY | $47,922 | $18,913 | $11,835 | 74.1% |
| SUNY at Purchase College ranks 907th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows a six-year completion rate of 63%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (33 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($47,922) | |||||
| 17 | SUNY Buffalo State University · Buffalo, NY | $46,705 | $11,346 | $7,405 | 73.0% |
| Graduates of SUNY Buffalo State University earn a median of $46,705 four years after completing their Liberal Arts degree, and the school admits 73% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (109 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($46,705) | |||||
| 18 | Mercy University · Dobbs Ferry, NY | No published median | $14,072 | $11,974 | 85.8% |
| Mercy University admits 86% of applicants and reports an average net price of $11,974 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (76 graduates) | |||||
| 19 | Cornell University · Ithaca, NY | No published median | $28,690 | $1,776 | 8.8% |
| Cornell University has a six-year completion rate of 95% and reports an average net price of $1,776 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (18 graduates) | |||||
| 20 | State University of New York at Cortland · Cortland, NY | $44,687 | $22,345 | $12,550 | 59.8% |
| State University of New York at Cortland reports $44,687 in median earnings of Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $22,345. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (38 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($44,687) | |||||
| 21 | Hobart William Smith Colleges · Geneva, NY | $42,682 | $31,563 | $14,650 | 64.0% |
| Hobart William Smith Colleges posts median earnings of $42,682 for its Liberal Arts graduates two years after completing and a six-year completion rate of 77%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (10 graduates) | |||||
| 22 | Roberts Wesleyan University · Rochester, NY | $40,527 | $23,130 | $22,922 | 70.6% |
| Roberts Wesleyan University ranks 1015th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $23,130. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (6 graduates) | |||||
| 23 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice · New York, NY | $34,704 | $3,203 | $1,073 | 57.1% |
| CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice shows median earnings of $34,704 for its Liberal Arts graduates two years after completing and an average net price of $1,073 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (13 graduates) | |||||
| 24 | Daemen University · Amherst, NY | $28,236 | $18,693 | $10,773 | 68.3% |
| Daemen University admits 68% of applicants and reports median earnings of $28,236 for its Liberal Arts graduates two years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (46 graduates) | |||||
| 25 | Utica University · Utica, NY | $23,649 | $19,108 | $13,290 | 92.0% |
| Utica University reports median earnings of $23,649 for its Liberal Arts graduates two years after completing, and its six-year completion rate stands at 56%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (11 graduates) | |||||
| 26 | Fordham University · Bronx, NY | $21,894 | $44,338 | $32,474 | 59.3% |
| A private nonprofit university in Bronx, Fordham University admits 59% of applicants and posts an average net price of $44,338. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (17 graduates) | |||||
| 27 | State University of New York at New Paltz · New Paltz, NY | $21,052 | $18,809 | $10,541 | 61.6% |
| State University of New York at New Paltz ranks 27th on this list with median earnings of $21,052 two years after completing, and its average net price for families earning under $30,000 is $10,541. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (14 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Liberal Arts graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Liberal Arts earnings cohort in New York appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 6 of the 27 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 25 schools with a published figure. The gap between first-ranked Molloy University and second-ranked CUNY Bernard M Baruch College is $2,626.