2023 Best Online Colleges in New York
Online colleges in New York can provide a more convenient way to earn a bachelor's degree than traditional in-person programs. New York has many schools whose online degree options may add flexibility for students who balance school with work and other responsibilities. This might make a degree possible for students who can't afford to stop working while in college. Distance learners in New York can earn a bachelor's degree from public or private schools in a variety of majors, including popular subjects such as business, general and liberal arts studies, the social sciences, and psychology. Although the highest-paying jobs for college graduates often require advanced degrees, an online bachelor's degree can be a good start on a student's career path.
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2023 Best Online Colleges in New York
| Rank | School | Salary Score | Median Starting Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excelsior University | $53,300 | ||
| SUNY Empire State University | 76 | $45,378 | |
| SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 62 | $56,878 | |
| Utica University | 57 | $56,086 | |
| Mercy College | 53 | $38,061 |
#1 Excelsior University
- Salary Score: 94
- Median Starting Salary: $53,300
- Locations: Albany
- Accreditation: MSCHE
Excelsior University is a private, nonprofit school offering fully online bachelor's degrees in a range of subjects. The college's most popular program by a large margin is its Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts degree, followed by nursing programs such as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Excelsior has an open admissions policy and a 35% graduation rate for bachelor's degree students.
Online learners at Excelsior sign into the Canvas learning platform to complete coursework. Notably, the college caters to working students by exclusively offering part-time degree programs. Classes last eight weeks compared to 12-15 for a traditional college, which may help enrollees finish their degree more quickly.
#2 SUNY Empire State University
- Salary Score: 76
- Median Starting Salary: $45,378
- Locations: Saratoga Springs
- Accreditation: MSCHE
The public SUNY Empire State College (SUNYES) is a member of the public State University of New York system. The university offers many online bachelor's degrees, including the popular Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree and the Bachelor of Business administration degree (designed for candidates who hold an associate degree in the subject). SUNYES has an open admissions policy, and 47% of students graduate with a degree.
The university uses Brightspace as its learning management system (LMS) to host online courses. Fifty-seven percent of enrollees study part time at this school. In 2022, SUNYES announced that Puerto Rico residents qualify for in-state tuition rates for online degrees due to historic migration ties between New York and Puerto Rico.
#3 SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
- Salary Score: 62
- Median Starting Salary: $56,878
- Locations: Delhi
- Accreditation: MSCHE
SUNY College of Technology (SUNY Delhi) at Delhi is a public university featuring a few online bachelor's degree programs. One of the school's most popular degree programs is available online: a RN-to-BSN degree that grants a Bachelor of Science in Nursing credential to registered nurses. This degree's coursework is online, but BSN candidates must complete several hundred in-person practicum hours to graduate. The Bachelor of Business Administration in Hotel and Restaurant Management is another program with relatively high enrollment.
SUNY Delhi has a 65% acceptance rate and a 52% graduation rate for bachelor's enrollees. The college uses the Moodle LMS to deliver online courses. Around 31% of students take only online courses, but another 39% take a mix of online and on-campus classes.
#4 Utica University
- Salary Score: 57
- Median Starting Salary: $56,086
- Locations: Utica
- Accreditation: MSCHE
Utica University, a private institution, provides more than a dozen fully online bachelor's degree options. By enrollment, the largest of these is the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN), followed by the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. Utica also has a security and criminal justice focus, with online bachelor's degrees in cybersecurity and fraud and financial investigations. The school accepts 86% of bachelor's candidates and graduates 51% of them with a degree.
Utica's online learners sign in to Canvas to complete coursework. Eighty-four percent of Utica students attend college full time, and one-third of them are fully online learners. Another 31% take at least some online classes.
#5 Mercy College
- Salary Score: 53
- Median Starting Salary: $38,061
- Locations: Dobbs Ferry
- Accreditation: MSCHE
Mercy College is a private institution that offers about two dozen bachelor's degrees online. Population options include the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: General Business degree and the Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree. The college features an 82% bachelor's degree acceptance rate and a 49% graduation rate for the same population.
Mercy's online students log in to the Blackboard LMS to watch recorded lectures, interact with classmates, and submit assignments. Forty-three percent of students identify as Hispanic or Latinx people at this federally recognized Hispanic-serving institution. About 21% of all Mercy students study online exclusively, but another 51% take at least some distance classes.
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