Online Degrees In New York (NY)

New York residents are ahead of the curve when it comes to earning a college degree. According to research conducted by the Lumina Foundation, 50.3 percent of the state’s 10.6 million residents age 25 and older held at least an associate degree or professional certificate in 2016. That number includes more than 300,000 residents with a professional certificate, more than 1 million with an associate degree, more than 2 million who hold a bachelor’s, and more than 1.6 million individuals with a graduate or professional degree. According to the Lumina Foundation, another 1.4 million New York State residents have some college experience, but no degree.

The sheer number of adults who have pursued higher education in the state of New York is a testament to just how important people believe a college degree can be. Fortunately, the state is home to a wide range of schools that offer postsecondary credentials. In fact, the National Center for Education Statistics shows that there are 211 colleges and universities in the state where students can earn a bachelor’s degree. Furthermore, many of those schools offer much more than the typical on-campus options; they offer flexible online degree programs that can be completed via distance learning.

Although the Lumina Foundation reports that 24.6 percent of New York’s workforce who are 25 to 64 years old have earned a high school diploma — which is more than 2.6 million people — in order to keep up with the employment trends around the state in the coming years, and compete for the positions being created, job candidates should consider postsecondary education. In fact, according to Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, by 2020, 69 percent of New York’s jobs will require postsecondary education — higher than the national average of 65 percent – while only 31 percent of New York’s jobs will require a high school diploma or less.

Similarly, according to a report from the New York State Department of Labor, the fastest-growing occupations in the state between 2012 and 2022 will require higher education. Those seeking jobs in the fields of health care, finance, information technology, and electronics may need the following educational credentials:

  • 15.6 percent of jobs will require an associate degree
  • 10.5 percent of jobs will require a bachelor’s degree
  • 9.1 percent of jobswill require a master’s degree
  • 13.8 percent of jobs will require a doctoral or professional degree

Fields such as science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are expected to be in good demand in New York and will likely require a more educated workforce. With such a growing demand for college graduates, the state aims to encourage college enrollment by maintaining lower-than-average college tuition rates.

In addition, attending an online college in New York may help people in the workforce increase their earning potential. Postsecondary education can have a significant impact on career earnings. While wages can vary from state to state and from city to city within a state, an average of wages across the country can give you an indication of the significant difference in earnings across degree levels. The data below is from the Economic Policy Institute (2016):

  • Workers without a high school diploma made an average of $13.01 per hour
  • Workers with a high school diploma or equivalent made an average of $17.14 per hour
  • Workers with some college made an average of $19.09 per hour
  • Workers with a collegedegree made an average of $31.87 per hour
  • Workers with an advanced degree made an average of $40.76 per hour

In order to help students make this important decision, we have compiled a list of the top ten New York colleges that offer online degree programs based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics. In order to do this, we employed a methodology that includes examining the percentage of students participating in distance education, degree completion rates, flexibility, placement services, tuition, and student services of two- and four-year colleges around the state.

Whether people have just graduated from high school, want to earn a degree to advance in their current career, or want to change careers after years of being in the workforce, we are confident that the following list represents the best options for students in New York who are interested in distance education.

1
SUNY College at Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY
https://www.plattsburgh.edu
Average in-state tuition
$6,870
No. of online programs
4
% of students in distance education
30%
Avg. amount of Aid
$8,685
Admissions Rate
54%
Graduation Rate
68%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
2
Canisius College
Buffalo, NY
https://www.canisius.edu0
Average in-state tuition
$27,000
No. of online programs
11
% of students in distance education
30%
Avg. amount of Aid
$24,880
Admissions Rate
79%
Graduation Rate
68%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
3
Niagara University
Niagara University, NY
https://www.niagara.edu
Average in-state tuition
$31,700
No. of online programs
13
% of students in distance education
30%
Avg. amount of Aid
$20,715
Admissions Rate
87%
Graduation Rate
71%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
4
Marist College
Poughkeepsie, NY
https://www.Marist.edu
Average in-state tuition
$37,775
No. of online programs
10
% of students in distance education
27%
Avg. amount of Aid
$15,180
Admissions Rate
46%
Graduation Rate
83%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
5
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY
https://www.buffalo.edu
Average in-state tuition
$6,870
No. of online programs
19
% of students in distance education
17%
Avg. amount of Aid
$8,549
Admissions Rate
56%
Graduation Rate
76%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
6
SUNY College at Oswego
Oswego, NY
https://www.oswego.edu/0
Average in-state tuition
$6,870
No. of online programs
5
% of students in distance education
23%
Avg. amount of Aid
$8,046
Admissions Rate
54%
Graduation Rate
64%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
7
SUNY College at Brockport
Brockport, NY
https://www.brockport.edu0
Average in-state tuition
$6,870
No. of online programs
19
% of students in distance education
24%
Avg. amount of Aid
$7,092
Admissions Rate
53%
Graduation Rate
65%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
8
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, NY
https://www.rit.edu/
Average in-state tuition
$41,761
No. of online programs
28
% of students in distance education
16%
Avg. amount of Aid
$19,555
Admissions Rate
66%
Graduation Rate
67%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
9
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
https://www.syracuse.edu0
Average in-state tuition
$50,230
No. of online programs
16
% of students in distance education
13%
Avg. amount of Aid
$27,696
Admissions Rate
50%
Graduation Rate
83%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
10
Nazareth College
Rochester, NY
https://www.naz.edu
Average in-state tuition
$32,850
No. of online programs
0
% of students in distance education
21%
Avg. amount of Aid
$17,819
Admissions Rate
64%
Graduation Rate
66%
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
11
SUNY Buffalo State
Buffalo, NY
Average in-state tuition
$6,870
No. of online programs
3
% of students in distance education
25%
Avg. amount of Aid
$8,307
Admissions Rate
60.515810151448
Graduation Rate
48
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
No
12
SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
Alfred, NY
Average in-state tuition
$6,870
No. of online programs
10
% of students in distance education
25%
Avg. amount of Aid
$8,495
Admissions Rate
62.972399150743
Graduation Rate
56
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
13
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY
Average in-state tuition
$6,870
No. of online programs
33
% of students in distance education
17%
Avg. amount of Aid
$9,413
Admissions Rate
41.979486094956
Graduation Rate
74
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
14
Binghamton University
Vestal, NY
Average in-state tuition
$6,870
No. of online programs
0
% of students in distance education
5%
Avg. amount of Aid
$8,688
Admissions Rate
39.811637208102
Graduation Rate
81
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
15
SUNY Cortland
Cortland, NY
Average in-state tuition
$6,870
No. of online programs
3
% of students in distance education
11%
Avg. amount of Aid
$7,264
Admissions Rate
44.254646700278
Graduation Rate
71
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
16
The College of Saint Rose
Albany, NY
Average in-state tuition
$31,432
No. of online programs
3
% of students in distance education
18%
Avg. amount of Aid
$16,177
Admissions Rate
87.390761548065
Graduation Rate
61
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
17
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY
Average in-state tuition
$52,974
No. of online programs
0
% of students in distance education
4%
Avg. amount of Aid
$33,531
Admissions Rate
29.418960244648
Graduation Rate
86
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
18
Utica College
Utica, NY
Average in-state tuition
$20,832
No. of online programs
18
% of students in distance education
60%
Avg. amount of Aid
$9,464
Admissions Rate
84.422348484848
Graduation Rate
54
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
19
Ithaca College
Ithaca, NY
Average in-state tuition
$43,978
No. of online programs
0
% of students in distance education
12%
Avg. amount of Aid
$25,703
Admissions Rate
68.543003010865
Graduation Rate
79
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
20
SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
Delhi, NY
Average in-state tuition
$6,870
No. of online programs
9
% of students in distance education
41%
Avg. amount of Aid
$8,252
Admissions Rate
63.605728727885
Graduation Rate
44
Career Counseling
Yes
Placement Services
Yes
Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2018-19, National Center for Education Statistics, http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

As the employment needs of the state evolve, it’s important for New Yorkers to earn degrees that likely position them to be strongly competitive in the job market. The following is a list of the top online degree programs in New York based on information from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.

No matter what degree program students choose, it’s important to make sure the school they want to attend has been accredited by a governing body. This may help ensure that students get the training they need to meet employers’ expectations.

Program Name
No. of online programs
Business Administration and Management Degree, General
55
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
16
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
14
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
14
Business/Commerce, General
12
Accounting
12
General Studies
11
Health/Health Care Administration/Management
10
Humanities/Humanistic Studies
9
Computer and Information Sciences, General
9

The statewide plan for higher education continually seeks to improve the quality of distance education in New York. The Board of Regents, a governing body that sets the overall education policy for New York, works to maintain a highly effective higher education system, which includes online offerings.

In order to give capable higher education institutes greater flexibility to offer online programs, the Department of Education in New York developed an approach called the Institutional Capability Review, consisting of the Principles and Operational Criteria for Good Practice in Distance Education. Good practice principles were based on:

  • Organizational commitment
  • Learning design
  • Learner support
  • Outcomes and assessment
  • Program evaluation

Only institutes that met the criteria for good practice are eligible to register their online programs in New York.

The two systems of public postsecondary education in New York continue to improve upon online offerings:

  • CUNY continues to make strides in making more digital course materials that can be uploaded in real-time. CUNY’s community colleges are working on adapting existing associate degree programs so that students can have digital access to the course materials and resources. Such efforts continue to expand online offerings and make educational resources more accessible. CUNYfirst is a global search tool for prospective students to search all CUNY institutions by course title, type, general education category, mode of delivery, and more.
  • The SUNY Learning Network offers over 500 online degree programs. This one-stop platform makes it easy for prospective students to choose the program of their choice from over 64 institutions. Degree programs that are powered by OpenSUNY+ come with support and services to help students succeed in their online program.

Dr. Janice M. Karlen-Pollack, Professor of Business and Technology at City University of New York, LaGuardia Community College, can attest to the quality and vigor of the state’s online programs. Specifically, Karlen-Pollack says that Excelsior College and Empire State College are exemplary in their online offerings, although students who attend other schools can also gain a lot from their online degree programs.

“For some people, attending classes onsite at a college is not possible due to family responsibilities or their employment,” says Karlen-Pollack. “They may have irregular working hours, travel for their jobs or be in or have military obligations.”

These kinds of adult learners may benefit the most from online degree programs in New York, but their families stand to gain, too. “I know of parents that do their homework at the same table with their kids nightly,” adds Karlen-Pollack. “This is also a good way to support the importance of education with children as well as support lifelong learning.”

In addition to those words of wisdom, the professor also has some advice for students seeking online degrees in New York. “They should also investigate costs and whether the scheduling of courses and terms meets their needs,” she says. It is crucial for students to understand any specific requirements for their chosen online degree program.

Last but not least, Karlen-Pollack says, students need to make sure any school they choose is regionally accredited. Earning a degree from an accredited New York college or program can improve your chances of landing a job in your chosen field. Look for accrediting bodies such as:

  • New York State Board of Regents and the Commissioner of Education, a nationally recognized accrediting agency
  • Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher Education, a regional accrediting agency

Students may also want to see whether their particular program of study has received specialized or programmatic accreditation. This type of accreditation shows that the program of study has been audited by a third party and found to impart quality education in terms of curriculum and faculty.

There are several careers around the state that are likely to thrive in the coming years. Below is a list of some of the top occupations in New York, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Occupation
Number of Workers
Median Salary
Office and Administrative Support Occupations1,334,940$42,290
Sales and Related Occupations903,950$33,430
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations768,040$28,780
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations708,490$63,010
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations631,580$35,370
Healthcare Support Occupations629,090$29,880
Business and Financial Operations Occupations611,820$81,600
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations546,900$79,660
Management Occupations502,060$138,230
Home Health and Personal Care Aides444,880$27,910
Construction and Extraction Occupations358,350$58,460
Production Occupations328,630$36,920
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations318,830$50,300
Protective Service Occupations314,490$48,320
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations311,150$33,730
Retail Salespersons288,630$27,110
Computer and Mathematical Occupations272,070$92,410
Personal Care and Service Occupations262,220$30,300
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations221,800$67,930
Fast Food and Counter Workers211,970$26,410

Source: 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics and 2018-28 Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov.

Top Metropolitan Areas in New York

Students considering online degrees in New York may want to consider sectors with high demand along with the cyclic nature of employment in the state while choosing their program of study.

New York-Newark-Jersey City: This metropolitan area includes New York City which has been the main driving force behind employment gains in the state according to the Office of the State Deputy Comptroller for the City of New York. The business services sector was responsible for adding the most jobs in the decade leading up to 2018. Among the high paying occupations, professional and scientific services (which include lawyers and marketing research professionals), internet and publishing, motion picture and sound recording industries added the most jobs.

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls: Traditionally known for its strong manufacturing sector, this metropolitan areas economy has recently undergone some restructuring with the service, education and health sectors showing significant growth. Unemployment rates show that college education is important to employers in the region as individuals without a high school diploma are seven times more likely to be unemployed than those with a bachelor’s degree.

Kingston: The residents of Kingston are close to scenic areas of natural beauty like the Catskills as well as the cultural and economic attractions of New York City. Its proximity to both has led to a growth in the hospitality and leisure industry. Median household incomes in the region have seen growth in 2016-17 too, rising from $60,393 to $61,652 (2.08 percent) which is more than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States.

No matter what they want to study or which New York school they want to attend, students are usually very concerned about how they’re going to fund their education and whether there are scholarships and financial aid in New York available to them. In order for qualified students to maximize how much financial aid they might receive, students should look into federal and state options, as well as aid that may be available through their specific school.

On the federal level, eligible students mayreceive financial aid in the form of Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants, and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grants.

State-specific scholarships and financial aid

Scholarship Listing

This list provides additional information on scholarships and grants available to eligible New York students.

New York Oratorical Contest
No. of Awards
5
Deadline
November 18
Max. Award Amount
6,000
Renewable
No
Criteria
Applicants must be high school students under the age of 20 who are U.S. citizens or legal residents and residents of the state. Students first give an oration within their state and winners compete at the national level. The oration must be related to the Constitution of the United States focusing on the duties and obligations citizens have to the government. It must be in English and be between eight and ten minutes. There is also an assigned topic which is posted on the website, and it should be between three and five minutes.
More
Random House Inc. Creative Writing Competition
No. of Awards
47
Deadline
February 15
Max. Award Amount
10,000
Renewable
No
Criteria
Applicants must be seniors in a New York City Public High School who are 21 years old or younger and must not have family members employed by Bertelsmann or its subsidiaries. Students must submit a literary composition. Possible formats include poetry/spoken word, fiction/drama or personal essay/memoir. College essays, book reports, myths and legends will not be accepted. Foreign language submissions are not allowed, and all work must not have been previously published or awarded.
More
Locksley Anthony Henry Scholarship
No. of Awards
3
Deadline
July 1
Max. Award Amount
1,500
Renewable
No
Criteria
Applicant must be a U.S. citizen who is a graduating senior at an NYC public high school. Minimum 2.5 GPA, two letters of recommendation, copy of transcript, and personal essay required.
More
Albert Shanker College Scholarship
No. of Awards
200
Deadline
January 31
Max. Award Amount
5,000
Renewable
Yes
Criteria
Applicant must be from New York City who comes from a low-income family.
More
Curtis/Hunt Memorial Scholarship
No. of Awards
1
Deadline
February 1
Max. Award Amount
500
Renewable
No
Criteria
Applicants must be a New York State female USBC Youth certified bowler who has bowled at least 30 games. Applicants must also be a high school senior or college freshman. Selection is based on bowling achievements, academic success and active participation in school, civic and community activities.
More

Source: Scholarship directory data is copyrighted material which is reproduced on this website by permission of CollegeXpress, a division of Carnegie Dartlet. Copyright © 2020 by CollegeXpress.

Each college in New York has different admissions criteria, but generally applicants are required to have a minimum grade point average, complete certain coursework, and take the SAT or ACT exams. In order to find out what is expected of them, hopeful students should consult the individual schools they’re interested in attending. International students may need to show their scores on TOEFL or IELTS exams.

Methodology

To be included in our ranking of the best colleges for online degree programs, all colleges had to meet the following five criteria:

  1. Be an accredited U.S. institution
  2. Offer either 2- or 4-year degree programs
  3. Have at least 1 percent of students taking at least some of their classes via distance education
  4. Be active in the 2015-16 school year
  5. Report data for all 15 specific ranking variables included in our methodology

We then ranked the remaining 2,169 colleges and universities and scored each on a 100-point scale on these specific. Our data points include:

  • The in-state tuition and fees for full-time undergraduates, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015-16
  • Percent of undergraduate students awarded federal, state, local, institutional or other sources of grant aid, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015-16
  • The average amount of federal, state, local, institutional or other sources of grant aid awarded to undergraduate students, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015-16
  • Full-time Retention rate, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015-16
  • Percent of students participating fully or partially in distance education to total enrollment, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015-16
  • Graduation rate within six years, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015-16
  • No. of degree programs offered via distance education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015-16
  • Percent of students working and not enrolled 6 years after entry, College Scorecard, 2013-14
  • Open admissions policy for all or most entering first-time undergraduate-level students, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015-16
  • Flexibility and student services, based on whether the school offers the following services, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015-16
    • Dual credit
    • Credit for life experience
    • Advanced Placement credit
    • Academic and career counseling
    • Job placement services for graduates
    • Offers credit for military training

Sources:

  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2018-19, National Center for Education Statistics, http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/
    • About the University of the State of New York, New York Education Department, http://www.nysed.gov/about/about-usny, accessed May 2018
    • Academic Technology Initiatives, City University of New York, http://www2.cuny.edu/academics/current-initiatives/academic-technology/academic-technology-initiatives/, accessed May 2018
    • Analysis of New York State’s 2012 ? 2022 Occupational Projections by Education Level, New York State Department of Labor,https://labor.ny.gov/stats/PDFs/Analysis-of-2012-2022-Occupational-Projections-and-Wages.pdf, accessed May 2018
    • College Entrance Exams SAT and ACT, HESC,https://www.hesc.ny.gov/prepare-for-college/your-high-school-path-to-college/college-entrance-exams-sat-and-act/, accessed April 2018
    • College Navigator, National Center for Education Statistics,https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?s=NY&l=93&ic=1, accessed May 2018
    • Education Beyond High School, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce,https://cew.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Recovery2020.SR_.Web_.pdf, accessed May 2018
    • Employment Projections, New York State Department of Labor,https://labor.ny.gov/stats/lsproj.shtm, accessed May 2018
    • Grants, SUNY,https://www.suny.edu/smarttrack/types-of-financial-aid/grants/, accessed April 2018
    • Apply for Aid, HESC – New York State,https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/apply-for-financial-aid/apply-for-aid-start-here/, accessed April 2018
    • Facts About New York State’s Independent Colleges and Universities, the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York,https://www.cicu.org/publications-research/quick-facts#_ftn4, accessed May 2018
    • Janice Karlen-Pollack, LinkedIn,https://www.linkedin.com/in/janice-karlen-pollack-57591041/, accessed July 2018
    • Middle States Commission on Higher Education,https://www.msche.org/, accessed May 2018
    • Online Degree Programs, SUNY,http://navigator.suny.edu/, accessed April 2018
    • Standardized Tests, NYU,https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/how-to-apply/standardized-tests/, accessed April 2018
    • Stronger Nation, Lumina Foundation,http://strongernation.luminafoundation.org/report/2018/#state/NY, accessed May 2018
    • Trends in College Pricing 2017, College Board,https://trends.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/2017-trends-in-college-pricing_0.pdf, accessed May 2018
    • Trends in Higher Education, Highlights,http://www.highered.nysed.gov/swp/#quality, accessed May 2018
    • Types of Financial Aid, NYS Higher Education Services Corporation,https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/, accessed April 2018
    • 11 mind-blowing facts about New York’s economy, Business Insider, 2019, https://www.businessinsider.in/11-mind-blowing-facts-about-new-yorks-economy/articleshow/69026954.cms
    • Buffalo Metro Area, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, https://www.newyorkfed.org/regional-economy/profiles/buffalo, accessed August 2019
    • Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY, Data USA, 2017, https://datausa.io/profile/geo/buffalo-niagara-falls-ny-metro-area
    • Employment Data for Buffalo-Niagara, Buffalo Brief, Partnership for the Public Good, July 2018, https://ppgbuffalo.org/files/documents/economic_development/general/employment_data_for_buffalo-niagara.pdf
    • Kingston Metro Area, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, https://www.newyorkfed.org/regional-economy/profiles/kingston, accessed August 2019
    • Kingston, NY, Data USA, 2017, https://datausa.io/profile/geo/kingston-ny-metro-area#education
    • May 2018 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Occupational Employment Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 29, 2019, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm#N
    • New York City Employment Trends, Report 1-2020, Office of the State Deputy Comptroller for the City of New York, April 2019, https://www.osc.state.ny.us/osdc/rpt1-2020.pdf
    • New York, Data USA, 2017, https://datausa.io/profile/geo/new-york New York’s Economy: The 6 Industries Driving GDP Growth, Investopedia, 2019, https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/011516/new-yorks-economy-6-industries-driving-gdp-growth.asp
    • NYS Economy Continues to Grow, New York State Department of Labor, August 2019, https://labor.ny.gov/stats/pressreleases/pruistat.shtm
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Methodologies and Sources