At least 6 New York State cities have appeared on the popular list this year for 2024.

College expenses are averaging about $36,000 a year. That is insane. In fact, nearly 20 years later I am still paying off college tuition. Although, it was my choice to go to college, I feel like I will educate our kids more about how to handle the value of college versus how much it costs. I am not saying that you should not go to college, but I am saying there are a lot of people who make a lot more money than me for degrees that took a lot less time, money and effort.

Wallet Hub put out their annual list of the Best College Towns + Cities in America. The three big criteria that they take into account are:

  • Friendliness
  • Social Environment
  • Academic and Economic Opportunity.

Six major cities in New York State have made the list this year. Buffalo topped the cities in New York State by far. The best rank that Buffalo had was ranking #38 in social environment.

  • #64 - Buffalo
  • #150 - Troy
  • #151 - Rochester
  • #251 - Stony Brook
  • #268 - Albany
  • #293 - New York City

It is important to note that both Fredonia and St. Bonnies are not included in the Buffalo, New York colleges that are taken into consideration. According to Wallet Hub:

it’s best to live in a city with a reasonable cost of living, along with good academic and work opportunities. The ideal city should also provide a fun social environment to help students deal with the stress of college.

2025's Most Competitive Colleges In New York State

Based on data from U.S. News & World Report, here's the ranking of the colleges and universities that are the toughest to get in to based on acceptance rates.

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