Best Online Colleges in New York
for 2023

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New York is a vibrant East Coast state with plenty of economic opportunities, and it is best known as the home of the world-renowned New York City. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of March 2022, there are around 9.38 million workers in New York’s civilian labor force and a relatively low unemployment rate of 4.2%. Top industries in New York include Education & Health Services, which employs more than 2.08 million individuals; Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which employs 1.47 million people; and Government, which employs 1.46 million workers. The BLS has recorded a mean hourly wage of $33.87 and a median hourly wage of $23.46 across the state. The annual mean wage is $70,460 in the state, though certain professionals like financial managers can expect to earn an annual mean wage of $206,990.

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Online Higher Education in New York


New York has many stand-out universities that students can choose from should they decide to pursue online education opportunities. Below are some questions that will provide a quick overview of education in the state.

  • How many distance learning students are enrolled in higher education in New York?
    Overall, in New York, there are around more than 1.2 million students currently enrolled in a college or university. Of that, around 961,000 are undergraduate students and 244,000 are graduate students. Students who undertake some form of online learning are the majority, with approximately 617,000 students studying online exclusively and 316,000 taking some form of a hybrid approach to learning.

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  • What is the average cost of tuition on campus compared to online in New York?

    New York has several public and private universities, which means that the average cost of tuition can differ dramatically depending on the type of school that a student chooses. On the expensive side, Columbia University can cost more than $63,000 per year to attend. However, at the undergraduate level, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2021-2022 academic year for in-state residents is $7,186, while out-of-state students can expect to pay an average of $14,247 per year. Moreover, the average student can expect to pay an average of $1,085 every year for books and supplies.

    The true cost of attendance for distance learners depends on the type of degree a student is pursuing, as well as the institution granting the degree. Some universities will offer tuition discounts for remote students, while some neighboring states have reciprocity agreements with New York that grant students reduced tuition rates. However, most online students can expect to pay around the same in tuition and fees as those living on campus, though they will certainly save on areas like housing expenses and commuting. The average student living on campus in New York spends around $14,900 in living costs, a significant amount of which distance learners can save.

  • How do I qualify for in-state tuition in New York?
    Prospective students will generally qualify for New York in-state tuition if they have legally resided in the state at least one year before the first day of class for the semester in which they are admitted to a university in the state. Often, students can submit copies of items like a driver’s license or other proof of residency if necessary to earn resident status.
  • What are the best online colleges in New York?
    Many online post-secondary degree programs are offered by New York’s top institutions. This allows students the ability to incorporate both flexibility and prestige into their college search. In particular, well-known schools like New York University, Stony Brook University, Syracuse University, Excelsior College, and Marist College all offer online programs.

Our School Rankings Methodology


Many students do not have the luxury of visiting a prospective college in person before deciding whether or not they will attend the school. As such, college rankings can play a crucial role in helping a student determine if the school is the best fit for their needs.

To maintain fairness and accuracy when crafting our ranking methodology, only those with online programs were considered for this list. More importantly, we only collected data from unbiased, reliable sources, mostly referring to government websites when possible. When determining a college’s ranking, important factors included items like overall graduation rate, cost of tuition, and average post-graduation salary, which are important indicators that help students decide if their educational investment will pay off in the long run. Additionally, other items like reputation and student-to-faculty ratio were also considered to provide a better gauge of the quality of education students would receive from the program.

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What are the Best Online Associate & Community College Programs in New York?


Many students will seek to complete an online associate degree before transferring to a four-year college later on. This is often a more affordable route to completing one’s bachelor’s degree. However, students must be careful to apply to online community colleges that are accredited within the state of New York, as four-year universities may not recognize credits from unaccredited programs upon transfer. Additionally, accredited associate degree programs will help boost the confidence of universities and potential employers.

SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
College Type
4-year, primarily associate's, Public
Student Population
3,667
Graduation Rate
58%
Net Price
$17,047
Grads Salary
$48,300
Columbia-Greene Community College
College Type
2-year, Public
Student Population
1,445
Graduation Rate
39%
Net Price
$5,873
Grads Salary
$39,000
Suffolk County Community College
College Type
2-year, Public
Student Population
22,570
Graduation Rate
26%
Net Price
$5,044
Grads Salary
$43,900
Niagara County Community College
College Type
2-year, Public
Student Population
4,389
Graduation Rate
33%
Net Price
$4,995
Grads Salary
$39,549
Hudson Valley Community College
College Type
2-year, Public
Student Population
8,933
Graduation Rate
32%
Net Price
$7,974
Grads Salary
$42,400
Rockland Community College
College Type
2-year, Public
Student Population
6,532
Graduation Rate
28%
Net Price
$10,054
Grads Salary
$45,847
Herkimer County Community College
College Type
2-year, Public
Student Population
2,224
Graduation Rate
37%
Net Price
$7,436
Grads Salary
$36,600
Erie Community College
College Type
2-year, Public
Student Population
8,364
Graduation Rate
25%
Net Price
$4,118
Grads Salary
$37,400
Fulton-Montgomery Community College
College Type
2-year, Public
Student Population
1,946
Graduation Rate
33%
Net Price
$9,657
Grads Salary
$40,000
Ulster County Community College
College Type
2-year, Public
Student Population
3,089
Graduation Rate
30%
Net Price
$4,738
Grads Salary
$35,500
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What are the Best Online Universities & College Programs in New York?


Students should first consider the area of study they are interested in since some colleges will only offer a limited selection of their majors through online programs. Afterward, considering school rankings can be an important way for students and families to gain insight into the reputation, cost, and strength of education from an online college. Students should also double-check that the online program is accredited to ensure that they are receiving a rigorous education.

There are a variety of options for those who want to earn bachelor’s degrees in New Jersey. Here, you will find those that are best suited to students hoping to attend school either 100% or at least partially online.

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Columbia University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit
Student Population
30,135
Graduation Rate
96%
Net Price
$22,126
Grads Salary
$87,000
Stony Brook University
College Type
4-year, Public
Student Population
26,782
Graduation Rate
76%
Net Price
$16,478
Grads Salary
$78,000
University of Rochester
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit
Student Population
11,741
Graduation Rate
86%
Net Price
$36,254
Grads Salary
$83,000
University at Buffalo
College Type
4-year, Public
Student Population
32,347
Graduation Rate
75%
Net Price
$18,119
Grads Salary
$70,000
Molloy University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit
Student Population
5,115
Graduation Rate
73%
Net Price
$27,454
Grads Salary
$79,000
CUNY Brooklyn College
College Type
4-year, Public
Student Population
17,735
Graduation Rate
54%
Net Price
$4,736
Grads Salary
$71,000
New York University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit
Student Population
52,775
Graduation Rate
88%
Net Price
$45,417
Grads Salary
$80,000
Yeshiva University
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit
Student Population
5,524
Graduation Rate
77%
Net Price
$35,603
Grads Salary
$78,000
St. Joseph's University-New York
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit
Student Population
5,012
Graduation Rate
70%
Net Price
$16,290
Grads Salary
$69,000
D'Youville College
College Type
4-year, Private not-for-profit
Student Population
2,785
Graduation Rate
60%
Net Price
$21,377
Grads Salary
$76,600
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