Find a Job You Really Want In
Top 10 Colleges for Career Opportunities in New York for 2026
As prospective college students consider their options, one of the key factors influencing their decisions is the potential for improved job prospects post-graduation. With the evolving job market, especially in the wake of the recent shifts toward remote and hybrid work, it has become essential to choose a college that not only provides a solid education but also enhances employability.
New York stands out as a premier location for higher education, offering a diverse range of renowned research universities and state colleges. These institutions are equipped to prepare students for an increasingly competitive job market, giving them a unique advantage in their career paths.
Given the multitude of excellent colleges in New York, we sought to identify which ones are most effective at helping their graduates secure employment. By analyzing data from IPEDS and the College Scorecard, we compiled this list of the best colleges for job placement in New York.
Check out the top ten colleges for career opportunities in New York below:
- Siena College
- Manhattan College
- Clarkson University
- SUNY Cortland
- Ithaca College
- Union College
- Saint John Fisher College
- St. Bonaventure University
- Hobart William Smith Colleges
- SUNY at Fredonia
If you’re attending one of these institutions, you’re likely well aware of the advantages they offer. For those considering their options, let’s delve into why these schools excel in preparing students for successful careers.
How We Identified the Top Colleges for Careers in New York
Utilizing College Scorecard Data, we researched the colleges in New York with the highest job placement rates, specifically examining employment levels ten years after graduation.
Our analysis focused on 129 public and non-profit four-year institutions in New York that offer at least a bachelor’s degree. We ranked each college based on the percentage of graduates employed, rounding each school’s rating to two decimal places for clarity.
With an outstanding employment rate, Siena College has earned the title of ‘Best College for Jobs in New York.’
Best Colleges for Securing Employment in New York
| Rank | College | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Siena College | 95.13% |
| 2 | Manhattan College | 94.7% |
| 3 | Clarkson University | 94.45% |
| 4 | SUNY Cortland | 94.44% |
| 5 | Ithaca College | 94.3% |
| 6 | Union College | 94.22% |
| 7 | Saint John Fisher College | 93.95% |
| 8 | St. Bonaventure University | 93.9% |
| 9 | Hobart William Smith Colleges | 93.88% |
| 10 | SUNY at Fredonia | 93.81% |
| 11 | SUNY Oneonta | 93.81% |
| 12 | Utica College | 93.66% |
| 13 | Hartwick College | 93.66% |
| 14 | Niagara University | 93.59% |
| 15 | Canisius College | 93.58% |
| 16 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 93.52% |
| 17 | SUNY College at Geneseo | 93.34% |
| 18 | Colgate University | 93.13% |
| 19 | The College of Saint Rose | 93.11% |
| 20 | Syracuse University | 93.11% |
| 21 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 92.78% |
| 22 | Le Moyne College | 92.73% |
| 23 | Elmira College | 92.68% |
| 24 | SUNY Maritime College | 92.67% |
| 25 | Wagner College | 92.61% |
| 26 | SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry | 92.52% |
| 27 | Daemen College | 92.27% |
| 28 | SUNY College at Brockport | 92.18% |
| 29 | SUNY at Albany | 92.1% |
| 30 | Weill Cornell Medical College | 92.09% |
| 31 | Cornell University | 92.09% |
| 32 | Mount Saint Mary College | 91.98% |
| 33 | University of Rochester | 91.84% |
| 34 | Adelphi University | 91.84% |
| 35 | Molloy College | 91.81% |
| 36 | Iona College | 91.8% |
| 37 | Cazenovia College | 91.75% |
| 38 | SUNY College at Oswego | 91.65% |
| 39 | University at Buffalo | 91.62% |
| 40 | Keuka College | 91.62% |
| 41 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 91.62% |
| 42 | St. Joseph’s College-New York | 91.62% |
| 43 | Binghamton University | 91.56% |
| 44 | SUNY Buffalo State | 91.5% |
| 45 | Dominican College of Blauvelt | 91.49% |
| 46 | Nazareth College | 91.46% |
| 47 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 91.38% |
| 48 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | 91.37% |
| 49 | Marist College | 91.25% |
| 50 | Medaille College | 91.2% |
| 51 | St. Lawrence University | 91.02% |
| 52 | Alfred University | 91.0% |
| 53 | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | 91.0% |
| 54 | The Sage Colleges | 90.98% |
| 55 | Hamilton College | 90.67% |
| 56 | Pace University | 90.57% |
| 57 | Manhattanville College | 90.56% |
| 58 | Hofstra University | 90.54% |
| 59 | Farmingdale State College | 90.5% |
| 60 | State University of New York at New Paltz | 90.44% |
| 61 | Culinary Institute of America | 90.35% |
| 62 | College of Mount Saint Vincent | 90.22% |
| 63 | American Musical and Dramatic Academy | 90.2% |
| 64 | Paul Smith’s College of Arts and Science | 90.18% |
| 65 | St. John’s University-New York | 90.1% |
| 66 | Fordham University | 90.09% |
| 67 | Brooklyn Law School | 90.03% |
| 68 | Roberts Wesleyan College | 89.64% |
| 69 | SUNY College at Potsdam | 89.61% |
| 70 | New York University | 89.57% |
| 71 | Skidmore College | 89.5% |
| 72 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | 89.47% |
| 73 | Vassar College | 89.41% |
| 74 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 89.3% |
| 75 | Stony Brook University | 89.22% |
| 76 | SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill | 89.19% |
| 77 | LIU Brentwood | 89.08% |
| 78 | Long Island University | 89.08% |
| 79 | LIU Brooklyn | 89.08% |
| 80 | LIU Hudson at Westchester | 89.08% |
| 81 | LIU Riverhead | 89.08% |
| 82 | St. Francis College | 88.97% |
| 83 | CUNY Lehman College | 88.91% |
| 84 | Marymount Manhattan College | 88.86% |
| 85 | New York Institute of Technology | 88.3% |
| 86 | Barnard College | 88.29% |
| 87 | SUNY Morrisville | 88.22% |
| 88 | CUNY York College | 88.18% |
| 89 | Pratt Institute-Main | 87.98% |
| 90 | Teachers College at Columbia University | 87.97% |
| 91 | SUNY at Purchase College | 87.79% |
| 92 | Hilbert College | 87.74% |
| 93 | Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology | 87.48% |
| 94 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 87.47% |
| 95 | SUNY College of Technology at Canton | 87.24% |
| 96 | CUNY New York City College of Technology | 87.15% |
| 97 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | 87.0% |
| 98 | CUNY City College | 86.88% |
| 99 | Sarah Lawrence College | 86.87% |
| 100 | D’Youville College | 86.6% |
| 101 | SUNY College at Old Westbury | 86.56% |
| 102 | Bard College | 86.5% |
| 103 | Houghton College | 85.96% |
| 104 | CUNY Brooklyn College | 85.86% |
| 105 | Maria College of Albany | 85.74% |
| 106 | CUNY Hunter College | 85.68% |
| 107 | Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel | 85.67% |
| 108 | College of Staten Island CUNY | 85.51% |
| 109 | CUNY Queens College | 85.44% |
| 110 | Trocaire College | 85.17% |
| 111 | Concordia College-New York | 85.16% |
| 112 | CUNY Medgar Evers College | 85.04% |
| 113 | United Talmudical Seminary | 84.87% |
| 114 | Mercy College | 84.73% |
| 115 | Fashion Institute of Technology | 84.55% |
| 116 | Nyack College | 84.15% |
| 117 | Davis College | 82.12% |
| 118 | Villa Maria College | 81.95% |
| 119 | SUNY Empire State College | 81.84% |
| 120 | The New School | 81.64% |
| 121 | New York College of Health Professions | 81.61% |
| 122 | Rabbinical College Bobover Yeshiva Bnei Zion | 81.16% |
| 123 | Metropolitan College of New York | 80.39% |
| 124 | Yeshiva University | 80.31% |
| 125 | Boricua College | 80.23% |
| 126 | The College of New Rochelle | 79.58% |
| 127 | Touro College | 78.94% |
| 128 | Talmudical Seminary Oholei Torah | 73.6% |
| 129 | Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitz | 70.24% |
As you explore your educational options, choosing one of these top colleges can significantly enhance your chances of securing a rewarding job after graduation. The right institution not only provides a quality education but also connects you with vital networks and resources that can propel your career forward in today’s dynamic labor market.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
