UAlbany Earns National Recognition for Social Mobility, Ranked Among the Country’s Best Public Universities

By Amy Geduldig 

ALBANY, N.Y. (Sept. 23, 2025) — The University at Albany has been ranked No. 22 in the nation for the social mobility of its students by U.S. News & World Report. The ranking confirms the University’s commitment to providing students with the support they need to be successful.  

Offering students access to research, experiential learning and a rich vibrant campus culture, UAlbany was recognized as one of New York State’s leading universities in the annual fall rankings by U.S. News and World Report, Washington Monthly, Money and Princeton Review's “The Best 390 Colleges - 2025 Edition.” Highlights from the rankings include:  

• The U.S. News and World Report 2026 “Best College Rankings,” published today, listed UAlbany at No. 61 in best value among the nation’s top public schools, No. 63 nationally among public institutions and No. 127 nationally overall.  
• Washington Monthly ranked the University at No. 78 of National Universities in its 2025 “College Guide and Rankings", first among all SUNY colleges.  
• Money magazine rated the University at Albany one of the best colleges in the nation based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, alumni salaries and more.
• The University was also profiled in the 34th edition of Princeton Review’s “The Best 390 Colleges,” which showcases recommended colleges for undergraduate academics and features about 15% of America’s four-year colleges.

 “The University at Albany is proud to be a place where all students can unleash their greatness and build successful futures. This social mobility ranking goes to the heart of our work to benefit the public good. Ensuring every student has the support, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive in college and in their career doesn’t just benefit our students. It has positive ripple effects that benefit our community, our state, and our world,” said Havidán Rodríguez, president of the University at Albany.

In addition to listing UAlbany No. 78 in this year's College Guide, Washington Monthly — a nonprofit magazine that ranks universities based on their contribution to public good — ranked the institution as a top university in the Northeast for delivering the “Best Bang for the Buck,” which evaluates schools on how well they help students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices.

Among the Class of 2025 undergraduates who received degrees in May, 35 percent were first-generation college graduates. The University also welcomed more than 17,300 students for the Fall 2025 semester, including over 2,900 first-year students.

The rankings this year further reflect the University’s successes over the past year, which include:  

• The University’s $1.1 billion economic impact on the Capital Region and Albany, which contributed to the city placing No. 4 in LinkedIn’s Cities on the Rise.  
• The unveiling of one of the most advanced AI supercomputers at a U.S. university held at the University’s renowned RNA Institute with Gov. Kathy Hochul, SUNY Chancellor John B. King and UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez.  
• The launch of a new Artificial Intelligence & Society College to help prepare students to navigate a world radically changed by AI with a focus on trustworthiness, equity, privacy and accountability.
• A proposal to build a Health Innovation & Technology Research Building on Uptown Campus that will provide both academic and research programs, critical lab and research space, as well as a satellite energy plant, which will heat and cool nearly a quarter of the demand on campus, including energy-intensive science buildings.  
• A recent episode of Amazon Prime’s The College Tour, which highlights the perspectives of ten undergraduate and graduate students, focusing on campus life, academics and research, study abroad, campus resources, first-generation student stories, internships, athletics and life in the Capital Region.

UAlbany’s ranking highlights are available here.