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Most affordable public universities in New York

39 public universities in New York report net price data, ranging from $3,989 at the lowest to higher costs at more selective schools. The median net price across these is $14,877. New York's public universities run a bit higher than the national average for the kind. The list below shows the most affordable options, ranked by net price.

Median net price in New York

$14,877

National median for public universities

$10,692

public universities reporting in New York

39

The most affordable public universities in New York, ranked by net price

1

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

NY

Net price

$3,989

Receive grant aid

85%

2

CUNY Lehman College

NY

Net price

$4,076

Receive grant aid

91%

3

CUNY Brooklyn College

NY

Net price

$4,105

Receive grant aid

88%

4

CUNY Hunter College

NY

Net price

$4,127

Receive grant aid

88%

5

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

NY

Net price

$4,141

Receive grant aid

87%

6

CUNY City College

NY

Net price

$4,599

Receive grant aid

86%

7

United States Merchant Marine Academy

NY

Net price

$5,173

Receive grant aid

7%

8

CUNY Queens College

NY

Net price

$5,339

Receive grant aid

81%

9

CUNY New York City College of Technology

NY

Net price

$5,417

Receive grant aid

86%

10

CUNY York College

NY

Net price

$5,631

Receive grant aid

86%

11

CUNY Medgar Evers College

NY

Net price

$6,207

Receive grant aid

88%

12

College of Staten Island CUNY

NY

Net price

$6,355

Receive grant aid

80%

13

Farmingdale State College

NY

Net price

$8,224

Receive grant aid

63%

14

SUNY Old Westbury

NY

Net price

$10,495

Receive grant aid

79%

15

Empire State University

NY

Net price

$11,065

Receive grant aid

85%

16

SUNY Buffalo State University

NY

Net price

$13,735

Receive grant aid

88%

17

SUNY College of Technology at Canton

NY

Net price

$14,451

Receive grant aid

84%

18

SUNY College at Potsdam

NY

Net price

$14,574

Receive grant aid

95%

19

SUNY Polytechnic Institute

NY

Net price

$14,646

Receive grant aid

90%

20

SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

NY

Net price

$14,877

Receive grant aid

92%

21

SUNY Brockport

NY

Net price

$15,343

Receive grant aid

85%

22

SUNY at Fredonia

NY

Net price

$15,830

Receive grant aid

95%

23

SUNY College at Plattsburgh

NY

Net price

$15,982

Receive grant aid

87%

24

SUNY Morrisville

NY

Net price

$16,855

Receive grant aid

89%

25

State University of New York at Oswego

NY

Net price

$16,923

Receive grant aid

87%

What makes a school affordable here

In New York, the most affordable public universities share two things in common. First, low published net prices reflect both reasonable sticker prices and meaningful institutional or state aid. Second, a high share of students receive grant aid. At CUNY Bernard M Baruch College, the most affordable on this list, 85% of students receive grant aid. Net price reflects what a typical family actually pays, not the sticker price you see at first glance. A school with a $50,000 sticker price and a $10,000 net price is more affordable for most families than a school with a $20,000 sticker and a $19,000 net price.

Affordable colleges in New York, other types

Affordable public universities in other states

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National rankings use publicly available federal cost data. Plug in your actual aid offer and family situation for a Worth-It Score that reflects your specific picture.

Affordability rankings use publicly available federal higher-ed cost data. Net price reflects the average cost a family pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from total cost of attendance, for the 2022-23 reporting year. See full methodology →