With the first “early decision” college-application deadline looming on Nov. 1, tuition and room and board at a four-year college cost $24,920 – $58,600 per year. The personal-finance company WalletHub today released its 2026’s Best College & University Rankings report. It also includes expert commentary. There are separate rankings for colleges and universities.

To help college-bound seniors make the most informed school choices, WalletHub compared nearly 800 higher-education institutions in the U.S. based on 30 key measures grouped into seven categories, such as Student Selectivity, Cost & Financing and Career Outcomes. The data set ranges from student-faculty ratio to graduation rate to post-attendance median salary.

Top 10 Colleges & Universities in New York

1. Columbia University in the City of New York	6. Barnard College
2. Cornell University	7. New York University
3. Hamilton College	8. Colgate University
4. The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art	9. University of Rochester
5. Vassar College	10. Binghamton University

Here’s a closer look at the top schools and how each performed in certain metrics:

School Snapshot: Columbia University in the City of New York (1 = Best; 29 = Average; 58 = Worst):

• 1^st – Admission Rate
• 48^th – Net Cost
• 1^st – Student-Faculty Ratio
• 21^st – On-Campus Crime
• 1^st – Gender & Racial Diversity
• 1^st – Graduation Rate
• 1^st – Post-Attendance Median Salary