52 Best Public Policy / Administration schools in New York State

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in New York State ranked based on their research performance in Public Policy / Administration. A graph of 463K citations received by 19.5K academic papers made by 52 universities in New York State 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

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#6 in the United States

#7 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $22,520

2. New York University

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#13 in the United States

#14 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $30,325

3. Cornell University

Ithaca

For Public Policy / Administration

#14 in the United States

#15 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,361

4. Syracuse University

Syracuse

For Public Policy / Administration

#44 in the United States

#48 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Average SAT: 1355
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $48,215

5. SUNY at Albany

Albany

For Public Policy / Administration

#52 in the United States

#59 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $11,210
Enrollment: 17,560

6. University at Buffalo

Buffalo

For Public Policy / Administration

#74 in the United States

#87 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1295
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 86%

7. University of Rochester

Rochester

For Public Policy / Administration

#85 in the United States

#98 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Average SAT: 1475
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $40,462

8. Fordham University

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#99 in the United States

#115 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Average SAT: 1400
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $48,190

9. New York Law School

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#127 in the United States

#147 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Enrollment: 1,062
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1891

10. Binghamton University

Vestal

For Public Policy / Administration

#140 in the United States

#162 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1420
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 79%

11. CUNY Graduate School and University Center

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#150 in the United States

#172 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 9,536
Male:Female: 33:67
Founded: 1961

12. Stony Brook University

Stony Brook

For Public Policy / Administration

#152 in the United States

#174 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 99%

13. New School

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#165 in the United States

#189 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Net Price: $67,224
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $22,174

14. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#171 in the United States

#196 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1075
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $9,966

15. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#172 in the United States

#198 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 1,261
Male:Female: 38:62
Founded: 1963

16. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#180 in the United States

#206 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1250
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $10,114

17. CUNY Hunter College

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#183 in the United States

#209 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 1260
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $9,755

18. King's College

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#193 in the United States

#219 in North America

Net Price: $34,192
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,640
Enrollment: 442

19. Pace University

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#198 in the United States

#225 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $34,791

20. Hofstra University

Hempstead

For Public Policy / Administration

#215 in the United States

#243 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1315
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $35,792

21. Colgate University

Hamilton

For Public Policy / Administration

#232 in the United States

#260 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1485
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $28,736

22. CUNY City College

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#233 in the United States

#261 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1250
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $9,763

23. St John's University - New York

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#237 in the United States

#265 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $29,656

24. Barnard College

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#240 in the United States

#268 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1515
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $26,407

25. United States Military Academy

West Point

For Public Policy / Administration

#254 in the United States

#282 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1315
Average ACT: 30
Enrollment: 4,473

26. CUNY Queens College

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#303 in the United States

#339 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1150
Receiving Aid: 83%
Average Aid: $9,057

27. Yeshiva University

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#304 in the United States

#340 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $39,681

28. Brooklyn Law School

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#308 in the United States

#344 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 1,125
Male:Female: 38:62
Founded: 1901

29. Rockefeller University

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#314 in the United States

#351 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 281
Male:Female: 47:53
Founded: 1901

30. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester

For Public Policy / Administration

#327 in the United States

#364 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1380
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $39,534

31. Vassar College

Poughkeepsie

For Public Policy / Administration

#333 in the United States

#370 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $29,981

32. SUNY College at Brockport

Brockport

For Public Policy / Administration

#338 in the United States

#375 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1190
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 94%

33. Union College

Schenectady

For Public Policy / Administration

#340 in the United States

#377 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $42,137

34. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy

For Public Policy / Administration

#346 in the United States

#383 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1443
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $38,887

35. CUNY Brooklyn College

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#348 in the United States

#385 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1145
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $9,482

36. Wagner College

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#351 in the United States

#389 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $28,033

37. CUNY School of Law

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#354 in the United States

#392 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 669
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1983

38. State University of New York at New Paltz

New Paltz

For Public Policy / Administration

#356 in the United States

#394 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 85%

39. SUNY Buffalo State

Buffalo

For Public Policy / Administration

#361 in the United States

#400 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1110
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $11,697

40. Long Island University

Brookville

For Public Policy / Administration

#381 in the United States

#421 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $24,867

41. College of Staten Island CUNY

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#385 in the United States

#425 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1070
Receiving Aid: 83%
Average Aid: $8,526

42. Hamilton College

Clinton

For Public Policy / Administration

#391 in the United States

#432 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $28,719

43. Skidmore College

Saratoga Springs

For Public Policy / Administration

#400 in the United States

#441 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Average SAT: 1410
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $31,187

44. Adelphi University

Garden City

For Public Policy / Administration

#404 in the United States

#445 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $31,303

45. Marist College

Poughkeepsie

For Public Policy / Administration

#405 in the United States

#446 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1265
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $42,508

46. SUNY College at Plattsburgh

Plattsburgh

For Public Policy / Administration

#407 in the United States

#448 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 93%

47. Upstate Medical University

Syracuse

For Public Policy / Administration

#430 in the United States

#473 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 1,341
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1834

48. Ithaca College

Ithaca

For Public Policy / Administration

#437 in the United States

#481 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $35,253

49. Albany Law School

Albany

For Public Policy / Administration

#449 in the United States

#495 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 670
Male:Female: 42:58
Founded: 1851

50. Lehman College, CUNY

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#452 in the United States

#498 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1000
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $10,151

51. Touro College

New York City

For Public Policy / Administration

#475 in the United States

#523 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1336
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $29,179

52. SUNY Cortland

Cortland

For Public Policy / Administration

#485 in the United States

#536 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $8,254
Enrollment: 6,938

Closest to New York states to learn Public Policy / Administration

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Connecticut	9	2
Massachusetts	26	3
New Hampshire	3	80
Pennsylvania	24	8
Rhode Island	4	108
New Jersey	11	24
Maryland	11	11
District of Columbia	6	23
Maine	6	203
Ohio	17	18
Virginia	15	31
Michigan	9	4
North Carolina	15	9
Indiana	10	38
Kentucky	6	60
South Carolina	8	10
Wisconsin	10	17
Illinois	20	12
Tennessee	11	45
Georgia	13	47
Iowa	5	59
Alabama	8	130
Minnesota	10	28
Missouri	6	16
Mississippi	5	179
Arkansas	6	118
Florida	15	32
Kansas	5	56
South Dakota	3	318
Louisiana	6	98
North Dakota	2	229
Nebraska	4	79
Oklahoma	4	76
Texas	28	41
Colorado	9	58
Utah	4	66
Idaho	3	163
Arizona	3	20
Washington	6	7
Oregon	7	102
California	48	1