52 Best colleges for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in New York City, US

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in New York City ranked based on their research performance in Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 12.7M citations received by 447K academic papers made by 52 universities in New York City was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Columbia University

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1 in New York State

#6 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $22,058

2. New York University

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#3 in New York State

#17 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $29,499

3. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#8 in New York State

#106 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 1,253
Male:Female: 40:60
Founded: 1963

4. Fordham University

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#10 in New York State

#132 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 1400
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $43,943

5. CUNY Graduate School and University Center

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#12 in New York State

#134 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Enrollment: 8,733
Male:Female: 32:68
Founded: 1961

6. Rockefeller University

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#14 in New York State

#173 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 273
Male:Female: 54:46
Founded: 1901

7. New School

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#15 in New York State

#197 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Net Price: $55,480
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $21,504

8. CUNY Hunter College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#16 in New York State

#202 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,325
Enrollment: 22,970

9. CUNY City College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#17 in New York State

#209 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,822
Enrollment: 14,489

10. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#19 in New York State

#217 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,423
Enrollment: 19,854

11. King's College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#21 in New York State

#236 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1265
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $34,192

12. CUNY Queens College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#22 in New York State

#237 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $7,927
Enrollment: 17,001

13. New York Law School

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#23 in New York State

#241 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Enrollment: 1,050
Male:Female: 37:63
Founded: 1891

14. CUNY Brooklyn College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#24 in New York State

#251 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,411
Enrollment: 14,195

15. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#25 in New York State

#270 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,043
Enrollment: 13,921

16. Yeshiva University

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#27 in New York State

#272 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $35,912

17. Pace University

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#28 in New York State

#290 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $33,363

18. SUNY Downstate Medical Center

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#29 in New York State

#293 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 2,185
Male:Female: 31:69
Founded: 1860

19. St John's University - New York

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#32 in New York State

#298 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $26,052

20. Barnard College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#33 in New York State

#301 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1495
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $26,009

21. Phillips School of Nursing at Mount Sinai Beth Israel

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#39 in New York State

#344 in the United States

Receiving Aid: 0%
Enrollment: 329
Male:Female: 13:87

22. Lehman College, CUNY

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#44 in New York State

#367 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $10,412
Enrollment: 13,015

23. College of Staten Island CUNY

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#45 in New York State

#381 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $8,061
Enrollment: 10,248

24. Brooklyn Law School

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#58 in New York State

#493 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 1,210
Male:Female: 39:61
Founded: 1901

25. Wagner College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#60 in New York State

#503 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average SAT: 1190
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $29,710

26. Touro College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#65 in New York State

#545 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1324
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $23,960

27. Manhattan College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#66 in New York State

#595 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $29,535

28. CUNY School of Law

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#75 in New York State

#716 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 699
Male:Female: 33:67
Founded: 1983

29. Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#79 in New York State

#749 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $34,758
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $6,444

30. Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#80 in New York State

#753 in the United States

Enrollment: 229
Male:Female: 41:59

31. Pratt Institute - Main

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#81 in New York State

#772 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1295
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $47,326

32. SUNY College of Optometry

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#82 in New York State

#781 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 409
Male:Female: 24:76
Founded: 1971

33. CUNY New York City College of Technology

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#86 in New York State

#808 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $8,797
Enrollment: 13,087

34. School of Visual Arts

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#87 in New York State

#819 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1315
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $59,053

35. St Francis College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#95 in New York State

#961 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Net Price: $18,602
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $17,294

36. Jewish Theological Seminary of America

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#101 in New York State

#1003 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 1502
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $61,379

37. New York College of Podiatric Medicine

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#103 in New York State

#1012 in the United States

Enrollment: 334
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1911

38. Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#104 in New York State

#1033 in the United States

Enrollment: 318
Male:Female: 37:63

39. Marymount Manhattan College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#105 in New York State

#1045 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1180
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $39,442

40. Bank Street College of Education

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#108 in New York State

#1113 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 683
Male:Female: 14:86
Founded: 1916

41. Fashion Institute of Technology

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#110 in New York State

#1121 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Receiving Aid: 73%
Average Aid: $8,260
Enrollment: 8,125

42. Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#111 in New York State

#1134 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Average SAT: 1460
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $26,194

43. CUNY Medgar Evers College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#113 in New York State

#1220 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $8,467
Enrollment: 3,640

44. College of Mount Saint Vincent

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#119 in New York State

#1330 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1080
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $17,084

45. Metropolitan College of New York

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#126 in New York State

#1418 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Net Price: $22,183
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $12,873

46. General Theological Seminary

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#127 in New York State

#1447 in the United States

Enrollment: 56

47. LIM College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#128 in New York State

#1453 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1070
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $39,020

48. Monroe College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#134 in New York State

#1540 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Net Price: $9,157
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $15,792

49. Juilliard School

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#137 in New York State

#1601 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Net Price: $43,151
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $36,421

50. SUNY Maritime College

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#141 in New York State

#1684 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1220
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 84%

51. Sotheby's Institute of Art - NY

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#142 in New York State

#1685 in the United States

Enrollment: 199
Male:Female: 12:88

52. Manhattan School of Music

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#144 in New York State

#1718 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Net Price: $51,278
Receiving Aid: 83%
Average Aid: $21,335

Universities for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences near New York City

Distance, km 📏 km	University	Country rank 🏆	City
11	Stevens Institute of Technology	292	Hoboken, New Jersey
13	Saint Peter's University	665	Jersey, New Jersey
22	New Jersey Institute of Technology	242	Newark, New Jersey
25	Adelphi University	350	Garden City, New York
25	Kean University	572	Union Township, New Jersey
26	Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus	411	Teaneck, New Jersey
27	Seton Hall University	317	South Orange, New Jersey
29	Hofstra University	215	Hempstead, New York
30	Montclair State University	274	Montclair, New Jersey
31	Iona College	360	New Rochelle, New York

Liberal Arts & Social Sciences subfields in New York City

Broadcast Journalism10

Classics and Ancient History31

Communications and Public Relations29

Criminology and Criminal Justice23

Early Childhood Education13

Education Majors35

Forensic Science9

Gender Studies31

Human Rights Law18

Intellectual Property and Patent Law10

International Law14

International Relations and Diplomacy15

Journalism and Digital Media16

Law Enforcement18

Library and Information science33

Media Studies25

Military science21

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution14

Occupational Safety and Health9

Political Economy19

Political Science49

Public Policy / Administration25

Radio and Television broadcasting7

Special Education14

Sports / Exercise science6

Theology / Divinity / Religious studies36

Urban and Regional planning9