Best Nursing Schools in New York (2026): Rankings and Reviews

New York has more than 45 colleges producing BSN graduates, more than almost any other state, from Manhattan research universities to SUNY campuses upstate. This guide ranks them using official federal data and reviews the top five.

Imagine trying to choose a nursing school in a state with dozens of options, from NYU in Manhattan to SUNY campuses near the Canadian border. Costs range from a few thousand dollars to more than $60,000 a year. The numbers below cut through the noise.

How we ranked these schools

We used the latest official data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard. We included colleges in New York that award a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN), and ranked those producing at least 20 BSN graduates a year by their graduation rate. We also show how much their nursing graduates earn and what tuition costs. Graduation rates are for each college as a whole, not nursing students alone.

New York nursing schools ranked (2026)

Rank	College	City	Type	Graduation rate	BSN graduates a year	BSN graduates’ median earnings (1 year)	In-state tuition
1	New York University	New York	Private nonprofit	88%	426	$120,121	$65,622
2	University of Rochester	Rochester	Private nonprofit	84%	152	$94,860	$70,306
3	Binghamton University	Vestal	Public	82%	169	$105,020	$10,567
4	Stony Brook University	Stony Brook	Public	76%	183	$112,240	$10,931
5	Siena University	Loudonville	Private nonprofit	75%	41	$83,966	$48,895
6	St. John Fisher University	Rochester	Private nonprofit	74%	181	$85,194	$43,174
7	University at Buffalo	Buffalo	Public	74%	170	$89,513	$11,036
8	Nazareth University	Rochester	Private nonprofit	73%	22	$83,765	$44,060
9	Le Moyne College	Syracuse	Private nonprofit	70%	93	$85,856	$41,946
10	Touro University	New York	Private nonprofit	70%	49	$95,662	$23,100
11	Molloy University	Rockville Centre	Private nonprofit	69%	364	$114,478	$41,380
12	Adelphi University	Garden City	Private nonprofit	69%	328	$106,819	$52,050
13	St. Joseph’s University-New York	Brooklyn	Private nonprofit	69%	83	$108,093	$38,520
14	Niagara University	Niagara University	Private nonprofit	68%	73	$83,978	$40,405
15	D’Youville University	Buffalo	Private nonprofit	65%	163	$86,860	$35,980
16	Wagner College	Staten Island	Private nonprofit	64%	120	$115,762	$54,796
17	Mount Saint Mary College	Newburgh	Private nonprofit	61%	111	$104,767	$45,630
18	Daemen University	Amherst	Private nonprofit	59%	84	$91,002	$37,994
19	New York Institute of Technology	Old Westbury	Private nonprofit	59%	67	$97,008	$48,600
20	Manhattanville University	Purchase	Private nonprofit	59%	63	$109,887	$46,340
21	Long Island University	Brookville	Private nonprofit	58%	404	$104,329	$43,276
22	CUNY Hunter College	New York	Public	58%	157	$113,943	$7,382
23	Pace University	New York	Private nonprofit	58%	207	$113,391	$54,875
24	Iona University	New Rochelle	Private nonprofit	57%	23	$121,499	$48,680
25	State University of New York at Plattsburgh	Plattsburgh	Public	57%	66	$97,404	$9,035
26	Russell Sage College	Troy	Private nonprofit	57%	81	$81,707	$39,812
27	Elmira College	Elmira	Private nonprofit	56%	20	$90,811	$39,760
28	SUNY Polytechnic Institute	Utica	Public	56%	23	$79,631	$8,625
29	Utica University	Utica	Private nonprofit	55%	252	$89,114	$28,480
30	University of Mount Saint Vincent	Bronx	Private nonprofit	55%	207	$109,706	$46,420
31	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	Alfred	Public	54%	34	$91,398	$8,892
32	Hartwick College	Oneonta	Private nonprofit	53%	37	$89,777	$22,000
33	Roberts Wesleyan University	Rochester	Private nonprofit	53%	53	$82,242	$39,712
34	St. Francis College	Brooklyn	Private nonprofit	53%	70	$92,749	$29,628
35	SUNY Brockport	Brockport	Public	53%	216	$88,643	$8,752
36	Farmingdale State College	Farmingdale	Public	51%	87	$114,150	$8,626
37	CUNY Lehman College	Bronx	Public	50%	170	$109,146	$7,410
38	Dominican University New York	Orangeburg	Private nonprofit	48%	72	$101,058	$35,380
39	SUNY College of Technology at Delhi	Delhi	Public	46%	131	$95,807	$8,802
40	Mercy University	Dobbs Ferry	Private nonprofit	45%	332	$103,248	$23,650
41	Empire State University	Saratoga Springs	Public	44%	102	$101,171	$7,648
42	SUNY College of Technology at Canton	Canton	Public	38%	28	$87,900	$8,742
43	College of Staten Island CUNY	Staten Island	Public	35%	32	$112,918	$7,490
44	Maria College of Albany	Albany	Private nonprofit	33%	37	$101,963	$19,800
45	Bryant & Stratton College-Syracuse North	Liverpool	Private nonprofit	30%	54	$72,393	$19,457
46	CUNY York College	Jamaica	Public	30%	55	$117,821	$7,358

Also offering a BSN in New York (not ranked: either a comparable graduation rate isn’t reported, often because they mainly enrol transfer, upper-division or adult students, or they’re for-profit career colleges whose college-wide rates aren’t comparable with universities):

College	City	Type	Graduation rate	BSN graduates a year	BSN graduates’ median earnings (1 year)	In-state tuition
Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing	New York	Private nonprofit	n/a	170	$119,316	n/a
CUNY Graduate School and University Center	New York	Public	n/a	137	$116,825	$7,235
Monroe University	Bronx	Private for-profit	54%	122	$119,557	$19,024
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University	Brooklyn	Public	n/a	109	$117,590	n/a
Excelsior University	Albany	Private nonprofit	n/a	97	$96,318	n/a
Helene Fuld College of Nursing	New York	Private nonprofit	n/a	94	$111,265	$26,573
Plaza College	Forest Hills	Private for-profit	68%	45	n/a	$15,450
Upstate Medical University	Syracuse	Public	n/a	20	$96,508	n/a

Top New York nursing schools reviewed

1. New York University

New York University’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing in Manhattan is one of the largest private nursing schools in the US and tops our New York list.

• Graduation rate: 88%, number 1 in New York on our list
• Programme size: about 426 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, one of the largest in the state
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $120,121 one year after graduating
• Cost: $65,622 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 9% (selective)

2. University of Rochester

The University of Rochester School of Nursing is linked to the University of Rochester Medical Center, one of the largest academic medical centres in upstate New York.

• Graduation rate: 84%, number 2 in New York on our list
• Programme size: about 152 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $94,860 one year after graduating
• Cost: $70,306 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 40%

3. Binghamton University

Binghamton University’s Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences is part of the SUNY system and offers a selective public BSN.

• Graduation rate: 82%, number 3 in New York on our list
• Programme size: about 169 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $105,020 one year after graduating
• Cost: $10,567 in-state tuition ($32,467 out of state)
• Acceptance rate: 39%

4. Stony Brook University

Stony Brook University on Long Island offers a public BSN linked to Stony Brook Medicine.

• Graduation rate: 76%, number 4 in New York on our list
• Programme size: about 183 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $112,240 one year after graduating
• Cost: $10,931 in-state tuition ($34,911 out of state)
• Acceptance rate: 49%

5. Siena University

Siena University in Loudonville, near Albany, is a Franciscan college with a smaller nursing programme.

• Graduation rate: 75%, number 5 in New York on our list
• Programme size: about 41 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, a smaller programme with a more personal feel
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $83,966 one year after graduating
• Cost: $48,895 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 69%

Large public options also include Hunter College and Lehman College in the City University of New York (CUNY), and SUNY Downstate and SUNY Upstate in Brooklyn and Syracuse.

Ways to become a registered nurse in New York

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): a four-year degree, the route covered in this guide, preferred by many hospitals and required for most leadership and advanced roles.
• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN): a two-year programme, often at community colleges, leading to the same NCLEX-RN exam. Many nurses later complete an RN-to-BSN degree, often online and part-time while working.
• Accelerated BSN (ABSN): for people who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another subject, usually 12 to 18 months of intensive study.
• Direct-entry master’s (MSN): offered by some universities for graduates of other fields.

Whichever route you choose, you must graduate from an approved programme and pass the NCLEX-RN exam to be licensed by the New York State Education Department Office of the Professions.

Frequently asked questions

How many colleges in New York offer a BSN?

Based on the latest College Scorecard data, 54 colleges in New York produce at least 20 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, together awarding around 6,686 BSN degrees annually. Some smaller programmes are not included.

Which New York nursing school has the highest graduation rate?

New York University has the highest college-wide graduation rate on our list, at 88%.

Which is the largest nursing programme in New York?

New York University produces the most bachelor’s nursing graduates in the state, about 426 a year.

How much do new BSN graduates earn in New York?

Across the colleges listed, the median first-year earnings of bachelor’s nursing graduates range from $72,393 to $121,499, with a typical (median) figure of about $101,058. Earnings depend on where graduates work, their shift patterns and whether they were already working as nurses.

How much does a public nursing degree cost in New York?

In-state tuition at the public universities on our list ranges from $7,358 to $11,036 a year, before fees, housing and financial aid.

But is a ranking enough to choose a school?

No ranking can tell you everything. Before you apply, also check:

• NCLEX pass rates: the New York State Education Department Office of the Professions publishes first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates for approved programmes. Look for consistently high rates over several years.
• Accreditation: make sure the BSN is accredited by CCNE or ACEN.
• Getting into the nursing major: many universities admit students as “pre-nursing” first. Ask what share progress into the nursing programme.
• Clinical placements: where students train and how placements are arranged.
• Total cost: use each college’s net price calculator to see your likely cost after financial aid.

Related: US nursing schools with the highest graduation rates · How to get into nursing school

Sources: US Department of Education College Scorecard (accessed November 2026), New York State Education Department Office of the Professions, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Figures change every year; always confirm with the college.