Money Names UAlbany One of the Country’s Best Colleges

By Amy Geduldig

ALBANY, N.Y. (Aug. 6, 2025) — Money magazine has rated the University at Albany one of the best colleges in the country. The designation reflects the University’s continued commitment to delivering academic excellence, affordability and strong student outcomes.

UAlbany is one of New York State’s leading universities, offering students substantial access to STEM research, affordable degree programs and experiential learning opportunities. The University is renowned for specializing in research that benefits the public good focusing on areas that have significant real-world impact, including areas such as semiconductor design, artificial intelligence, climate and environmental sciences, social and health equity, drug discovery and cybersecurity.  

One of the most diverse Research 1 institutions in the nation, UAlbany consistently ranks among the top institutions and has been recognized for supporting the social mobility of its students by U. S. News and World Report and the Wall Street Journal.  

Money magazine’s ranking is based on a comprehensive analysis of more than 700 four-year colleges. The magazine reviewed key benchmarks for academic performance and financial stability and evaluated institutions in three separate categories: quality of education, affordability, and outcomes. These categories include factors that directly reflect each university’s academic success, such as graduation rates and value-added performance, as well as indicators of social mobility, including net price after financial aid, student debt levels, and alumni earnings over time.