Best colleges for Liberal Arts and Sciences in New York
Ranked by graduate earnings
Molloy University, Union College and CUNY City College are the top bachelor's Liberal Arts and Sciences programs in New York by graduate earnings. Molloy University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $74,868, College Scorecard. New York University, Sarah Lawrence College and SUNY Adirondack award the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees in New York: 727, 354 and 172 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 116 New York colleges offer Liberal Arts and Sciences and award 13,451 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Liberal Arts and Sciences program, formally known as Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, offers a broad educational foundation in various disciplines. This program is designed for students seeking a well-rounded…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Molloy University Rockville Centre Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $74,868 | 33 | 70% | $25,812 | $31,000 |
| 2 | Union College Schenectady Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,516 | 41 | 80% | $25,885 | $24,500 |
| 3 | CUNY City College New York Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,059 | 76 | 57% | — | $12,985 |
| 4 | New York University New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,447 | 727 | 88% | $29,023 | $21,787 |
| 5 | St. Joseph's University - New York Brooklyn Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,090 | 40 | 69% | $17,134 | $26,625 |
| 6 | State University of New York at Cortland Cortland Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,940 | 45 | 68% | — | $28,150 |
| 7 | Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $36,318 | 129 | 70% | $28,133 | $28,000 |
| 8 | SUNY Buffalo State University Buffalo Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,082 | 87 | 33% | — | $27,000 |
| 9 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh Plattsburgh Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,318 | 24 | 59% | — | $26,500 |
| 10 | Roberts Wesleyan University Rochester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $30,102 | 20 | 67% | $22,729 | $23,236 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Touro University New York Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $30,786 | 150 | 72% | $27,110 | $10,500 |
| 2 | Hudson Valley Community College Troy Public · Associate degree | $28,464 | 291 | 35% | — | $10,046 |
| 3 | Columbia-Greene Community College Hudson Public · Associate degree | $28,342 | 127 | 46% | — | $11,000 |
| 4 | Sullivan County Community College Loch Sheldrake Public · Associate degree | $27,874 | 70 | 33% | — | $11,000 |
| 5 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred Alfred Public · Associate degree | $27,450 | 41 | 55% | — | $15,250 |
| 6 | SUNY Corning Community College Corning Public · Associate degree | $26,679 | 159 | 34% | — | $12,000 |
| 7 | Clinton Community College Plattsburgh Public · Associate degree | $25,319 | 30 | 37% | — | $11,521 |
| 8 | Ulster County Community College Stone Ridge Public · Associate degree | $24,015 | 143 | 34% | — | $8,750 |
| 9 | Jamestown Community College Jamestown Public · Associate degree | $23,757 | 163 | 40% | — | $9,280 |
| 10 | Mohawk Valley Community College Utica Public · Associate degree | $23,618 | 193 | 38% | — | $11,100 |
Colleges awarding the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees in New York
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York University New York Private not-for-profit | 727 | $38,447 |
| 2 | Sarah Lawrence College Bronxville Private not-for-profit | 354 | $25,846 |
| 3 | SUNY Adirondack Queensbury Public | 172 | Not reported |
| 4 | D'Youville University Buffalo Private not-for-profit | 168 | Not reported |
| 5 | Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester Private not-for-profit | 129 | $36,318 |
| 6 | Cayuga County Community College Auburn Public | 92 | Not reported |
| 7 | SUNY Buffalo State University Buffalo Public | 87 | $32,082 |
| 8 | Daemen University Amherst Private not-for-profit | 79 | Not reported |
| 9 | CUNY City College New York Public | 76 | $43,059 |
| 10 | The New School New York Private not-for-profit | 76 | $27,701 |
ShowHide the other 106 New York colleges offering Liberal Arts and Sciences
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Postsecondary Teachers, All Other (SOC 25-1199).
What Postsecondary Teachers, All Other earn in New York
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Liberal Arts and Sciences programs in New York.
Which New York colleges award the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees?+
New York University (727 graduates a year), Sarah Lawrence College (354 graduates a year) and SUNY Adirondack (172 graduates a year) award the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 116 New York colleges offer Liberal Arts and Sciences.
What is the best college for Liberal Arts and Sciences in New York?+
By graduate earnings, Molloy University leads among bachelor's Liberal Arts and Sciences programs in New York, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $74,868, College Scorecard. Union College and CUNY City College follow. By degrees awarded, New York University is the largest, with 727 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Liberal Arts and Sciences program in New York has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Molloy University tops the list at $74,868. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Postsecondary Teachers, All Other earn in New York?+
The average annual wage for Postsecondary Teachers, All Other in New York is $85,050 (median $67,640), across about 2,810 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Liberal Arts and Sciences program?+
The Liberal Arts and Sciences program, formally known as Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, offers a broad educational foundation in various disciplines. This program is designed for students seeking a well-rounded…
What is the job outlook for Postsecondary Teachers, All Other?+
The national job outlook is about +1.8% growth with around 13,500 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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