by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the graduate school options in New York, narrowing things down is no easy task. This list ranks **77** programs by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you make your decision, College Factual reviewed 77 graduate schools using more than 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
This is how starting salaries are distributed among the top-ranked graduate schools:
Here are the top-ranked graduate schools:
Leading the list is Cornell University, our #1 graduate school in New York. Based in Ithaca, NY, Cornell University is a private not-for-profit institution. Cornell University posts a six-year graduation rate of 95%. In-state tuition and fees run about $69,314. Early-career graduates earn a median of $75,976. Graduates carry a median of $15,005 in student loans.
You'll be in good company at New York University, which ranked #2 this year. Located in New York, NY, New York University is a private not-for-profit institution. New York University graduates 88% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $62,796. New York University graduates report median early-career earnings of $64,516. New York University students take on a median of $21,897 in debt.
Columbia University In The City Of New York came in at #3 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in New York. Located in New York, NY, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a private not-for-profit institution. Columbia University In The City Of New York graduates 96% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $70,517. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $86,770. Students borrow a median of $23,258 to complete a degree here.
A rank of #4 makes Suny Downstate Medical Center one of the top graduate schools in New York. Set in Brooklyn, NY, Suny Downstate Medical Center is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $7,822, with out-of-state students paying around $19,662. Suny Downstate Medical Center graduates report median early-career earnings of $100,079. Suny Downstate Medical Center students take on a median of $24,882 in debt.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Rochester one of the top graduate schools in New York. Based in Rochester, NY, University Of Rochester is a private not-for-profit institution. University Of Rochester graduates 85% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $67,080. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $60,865. University Of Rochester students take on a median of $21,517 in debt.
Fordham University landed the #6 spot in New York this year. Set in Bronx, NY, Fordham University is a private not-for-profit institution. Fordham University posts a six-year graduation rate of 82%. Students from in state pay about $64,470 in tuition and fees. Fordham University graduates report median early-career earnings of $59,403. The median student debt is $25,643.
Weill Cornell Medical College landed the #7 spot in New York this year. Located in New York, NY, Weill Cornell Medical College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Jewish Theological Seminary Of America came in at #8 in this year's ranking. Set in New York, NY, Jewish Theological Seminary Of America is a private not-for-profit institution. Jewish Theological Seminary Of America graduates 90% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $71,910. Median early-career earnings reach $78,469. Jewish Theological Seminary Of America students take on a median of $16,750 in debt.
Stony Brook University did well this year, earning the #9 position. Based in Stony Brook, NY, Stony Brook University is a public institution. Stony Brook University posts a six-year graduation rate of 76%. Students from in state pay about $10,931 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $32,741. Early-career graduates earn a median of $60,047. Stony Brook University students take on a median of $20,537 in debt.
Suny At Binghamton came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Suny At Binghamton is a public school based in Vestal, NY. The six-year graduation rate is 82%. In-state tuition and fees average $10,567, compared with $30,447 for out-of-state students. Early-career graduates earn a median of $51,766. The median student debt is $20,691.
Syracuse University came in at #11 in this year's ranking. Syracuse University is a private not-for-profit school based in Syracuse, NY. The six-year graduation rate is 84%. In-state tuition and fees run about $65,528. Early-career graduates earn a median of $54,785. Typical student debt is $26,130.
Cuny Bernard M Baruch College ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Cuny Bernard M Baruch College is a public school based in New York, NY. Cuny Bernard M Baruch College graduates 72% of students within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,464, with out-of-state students paying around $15,414. Graduates go on to earn a median of $61,459 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $11,691 to complete a degree here.
Marist College ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Marist College is a private not-for-profit school based in Poughkeepsie, NY. Roughly 80% of students complete a degree within six years here. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $47,620. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $60,521. Students borrow a median of $25,962 to complete a degree here.
Yeshiva University ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Set in New York, NY, Yeshiva University is a private not-for-profit institution. Yeshiva University posts a six-year graduation rate of 85%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $51,800. Early-career graduates earn a median of $52,838. Graduates carry a median of $20,625 in student loans.
Rochester Institute Of Technology landed the #15 spot in New York this year. Rochester Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit school based in Rochester, NY. Roughly 72% of students complete a degree within six years here. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $59,210. Median early-career earnings reach $63,515. Rochester Institute Of Technology students take on a median of $27,491 in debt.
Adelphi University ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Adelphi University is a private not-for-profit school based in Garden City, NY. Adelphi University posts a six-year graduation rate of 67%. Students from in state pay about $48,775 in tuition and fees. Adelphi University graduates report median early-career earnings of $51,037. Students borrow a median of $25,487 to complete a degree here.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute landed the #17 spot in New York this year. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private not-for-profit school based in Troy, NY. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates 84% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,078. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates report median early-career earnings of $77,378. Graduates carry a median of $24,975 in student loans.
University At Buffalo ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. This public school is set in Buffalo, NY. University At Buffalo posts a six-year graduation rate of 75%. Students from in state pay about $10,936 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $31,536. Median early-career earnings reach $52,403. The median student debt is $22,232.
Teachers College At Columbia University did well this year, earning the #19 position. Set in New York, NY, Teachers College At Columbia University is a private not-for-profit institution. Teachers College At Columbia University graduates report median early-career earnings of $68,822.
Albany College Of Pharmacy And Health Sciences did well this year, earning the #20 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Albany, NY. The six-year graduation rate is 57%. Students from in state pay about $41,125 in tuition and fees. Early-career graduates earn a median of $71,648. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete a degree here.
Albert Einstein College Of Medicine did well this year, earning the #21 position. Set in Bronx, NY, Albert Einstein College Of Medicine is a private not-for-profit institution. Albert Einstein College Of Medicine graduates report median early-career earnings of $75,053.
Relay Graduate School Of Education came in at #22 in this year's ranking. Based in New York, NY, Relay Graduate School Of Education is a private not-for-profit institution. Median early-career earnings reach $67,896.
Cuny Graduate School And University Center did well this year, earning the #23 position. Cuny Graduate School And University Center is a public school based in New York, NY. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,235, while out-of-state students pay about $15,185. Early-career graduates earn a median of $72,222. Students borrow a median of $17,921 to complete a degree here.
Hofstra University landed the #24 spot in New York this year. Set in Hempstead, NY, Hofstra University is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 68%. In-state tuition and fees run about $57,660. Hofstra University graduates report median early-career earnings of $55,705. Typical student debt is $24,848.
Cuny Hunter College ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. This public school is set in New York, NY. Cuny Hunter College graduates 57% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,382, while out-of-state students pay about $15,332. Median early-career earnings reach $51,372. Graduates carry a median of $11,091 in student loans.
These graduate schools rounded out the top of the list:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked graduate schools only.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Graduate schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.