2026 Best Value Value Schools in New York
[Value](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/stem-educational-methods/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for value students.
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2026 Best Value Value Schools in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Value Schools
Cuny Hunter College earned the #1 spot for value among value schools in New York. Cuny Hunter College is a very large public school located in the city of New York. Students from in state pay about $7,382 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,332 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for value graduates is $10,500. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Cuny Hunter College generally make around $51,372. That is a strong return on a $10,500 median debt. Roughly 54% of applicants are accepted.
Suny Empire State College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Saratoga Springs, Suny Empire State College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,648 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,558 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for value graduates is $23,693. Early-career value graduates make about $62,860. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at Mercy College, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Dobbs Ferry, Mercy College is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $22,880 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $28,304 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of Mercy College earn a median of $63,434 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Hofstra University earned it the #4 place for value. Set in the suburb of Hempstead, Hofstra University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $57,660 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for value graduates is $25,359. Value graduates of Hofstra University earn a median of $39,556 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,359 median debt. Hofstra University admits about 68% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
