Facts & Rankings

Why UAlbany

The University at Albany is one of the State University of New York’s four University Centers and a nationally ranked public research university recognized for academic excellence, student success, diversity, research impact, sustainability, public engagement and value.

Located in New York State’s capital city, UAlbany sits at the center of state government, policy, research and innovation—connecting students to internships, public service and career pathways across New York and beyond.

Nationally ranked for value, social mobility and student outcomes

Recognized leader in mental health and student well-being

Research university operating at national scale

Home to first-in-the-nation academic innovations

Division I athletics and a vibrant campus community

Deep public engagement and economic impact

Located in New York State’s capital, at the center of government and opportunity

Two students working together on laptops outside on campus.

By the Numbers

Enrollment (Fall 2025)

17,426 Total students

12,889 Undergraduate

2,801 New first-years

1,258 New transfers

4,537 Graduate

2,792 Masters

1,519 Doctoral

226 Other Grad

Academics

16:1 Student–faculty ratio

65+ Undergraduate majors

150+ Graduate programs

9 Schools & Colleges

170+ Research Labs & Centers

94% of students employed or in graduate school within one year of graduation

Alumni & Community Highlights

17 Professional athletes

3 Nobel Prize winners

10+ Serving in the NYS Legislature

3 Emmy winners

200,000+ Alumni worldwide

View the complete data sheet

Notable Alumni

Gregory Maguire ’76 Novelist and author of Wicked, which was adapted into a Broadway play (2003), and a two-part musical film series (2024, 2025).
Liza Colon-Zayas ’89 Emmy award winning actress and playwright. First Latina to win in the category of best supporting actor for her role on The Bear.
Awkwafina/Nora Lum ’11 Award winning actress, rapper and voice actor. She won a Golden Globe for Best Actress award for her role in The Farewell (2019), and the Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Television Movie for Quiz Lady (2023).
Stephen Adly Guirgis ’90 Playwright, screenwriter, actor and director. Winner, 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Between Riverside & Crazy.
Harvey Milk ’51 Civil and human rights leader, politician, and the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
Dorcey Applyrs ’05 ’14 Politician and public health professional serving as Mayor of Albany, New York. She is the first black person to hold the office of Mayor for Albany.
Omar Yaghi ’85 chemist known for developing metal-organic frameworks (MoFs) and pioneering reticular chemistry. Winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Thomas “Tom” Clarke, PhD ’73 Chief growth initiatives officer for NIKE, Inc.
Cheryl Abel Hodges ’86 CEO at Tommy John and former Global CEO at Calvin Klein.
David Kahan ’82 President and CEO at Birkenstock Americas
Jeff Hafley ’04 Head Coach of the Miami Dolphins
Kristin Dolan ’88 CEO of AMC Networks
Lee Zeldin ‘01 EPA Administrator
Monte Lipman ’86 and Avery Lipman ’88 Music industry executives who co-founded Republic Records Label.

National Rankings & Classifications

Institutional Classifications

Carnegie Research 1 (R1) classification

$472M in R&D activity (2024 HERD Survey)

Ranked #9 among public universities without medical schools
Ranked #50 overall among public institutions
National Science Foundation

Designated an Innovation & Economic Prosperity University

Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU)

NCAA Division I Athletics

19 Division I teams

America East Conference
Coastal Athletic Association
(CAA Football and Women’s Rowing)
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Association
(MAAC Women’s Golf)

Overall & Public University Rankings

Ranked among the Top Public Universities in the U.S.
U.S. News & World Report

Ranked among the Best Colleges in the Northeast
The Wall Street Journal / College Pulse

Ranked among the Best Colleges in New York
Research.com

One of America’s Best Colleges
Money

The best 390 Colleges
Princeton Review

Best Colleges U.S. News & World Report National Universities badge

Top Ranked for Value & Social Mobility

Among the Best Colleges for Value and Best Bang for the Buck universities

Washington Monthly

Top 15% of universities nationwide for bachelor’s degree value

PayScale College Salary Report

Among the Most Affordable Colleges in the Northeast

Research.com

Among the top universities nationally for social mobility

U.S. News & World Report

Top performers in social mobility

Wall Street Journal

Two researchers working across from each other in a lab.

U.S. News & World Report Graduate Program Rankings

(Selected, publication-verified examples)

UAlbany is home to multiple nationally ranked graduate programs, recognized by U.S. News & World Report, including:

Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy

among the top public affairs schools in the nation

School of Criminal Justice

consistently ranked among the top criminal justice programs

School of Social Welfare

ranked among the top social work programs

Public Health program

ranked nationally

School of Education

ranked among leading education schools

These rankings reflect UAlbany’s long-standing strength in public service, policy, education, health and justice.

Academic Innovation, Student Success & Well-Being

UAlbany’s comprehensive, cross‑divisional strategy strengthens student persistence and degree completion. Launched in 2019, it brings together academic, support, financial, wellness and belonging initiatives into one unified framework to guide students from pre‑enrollment through graduation.

Inspiring Programs in STEM Award for the EXCELlence in STEM program (2023, 2024, & 2025)

INSIGHT Into Academia

First in the Nation Parent Course – Great Danes 101

Excellence in Academic Advising (2025)

National Academic Advising Association (NACADA)

Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate Award (2023)

National Resource Center for The First Year Experience and Students in Transition

Honors College named one of the "50 Best Honors Colleges" in the U.S. (2024)

College Transitions

Health Leadership

Thrive at UAlbany is UAlbany’s health-based initiative within Student Affairs, emphasizing prevention, mental health, belonging and student well-being.

UAlbany student enjoys a sunny fall day with friend

UAlbany was named to The Princeton Review's Mental Health Honor Roll

(One of the only public universities in New York to earn this recognition)

President Rodríguez sitting at a table and holding up the signed Okanagan Charter, surrounded by members of the Well-being Collective and members of the University administration.

UAlbany has officially adopted the Okanagan Charter, designating the University as a Health Promoting University and establishing it as a member of the United States Health Promoting Campuses Network.

Students gather at a table with a Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program banner draped over it.

UAlbany’s Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program is a Nationally distinctive peer-to-peer mental health support program and is recognized as a best-practice model in higher Education