Every figure is for a student starting in fall 2027. We work each one out again whenever we update the site.
Paying for college in New York
What the state and its colleges give families, who gets it, and how to apply. See every New York college priced for your income
From the state
From the colleges
Pay less for college
A SmartTuition plan shows what to pay from where, each semester.
In our New York scenarios, with good parent credit, a SmartTuition plan saves a median of about $7,900 over four years. How we worked this out ↓
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From the state
New York's programs. Most come through the FAFSA or the state's own aid application; a few have their own.
Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
For New York residents at a college in the state: $1,000 to $5,665 a year, set by income, the number of family members in college and the cost of tuition. A dependent student’s family can have a net taxable income of up to $125,000. The FAFSA starts the application.
Source: New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
“Eligible students can receive up to $5,665 to help cover tuition expenses.”
“AMOUNT $1,000 to $5,665”
“NYS net taxable income cannot exceed $125,000 for dependent students; $60,000 for married students with no dependents; $30,000 for independent single students with no dependents.”
“Award amount determined by: Combined income, including family-earned income and pensions Number of family members enrolled in college Financial status (dependent or independent) Cost of tuition”
“Must complete the FAFSA and TAP application or DREAM Act application each year for payment.”
Excelsior Scholarship
For New York residents at a SUNY or CUNY college with a household income of $125,000 or less: it pays the tuition left after other grants. A student takes 30 credits a year, then lives and works in New York as long as the award lasted.
Source: New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
“Students from families earning $125,000 or less can attend a state-operated SUNY or CUNY college tuition-free.”
“Any federal or NYS grants or scholarships, including PELL and TAP, and other scholarships that are not designated for "non-tuition costs only" are applied to tuition first and the Excelsior Scholarship covers any remaining tuition expenses.”
“Enroll full-time in your program of study and complete at least 30 credits per year in your program of study”
“Live and work in New York State for a duration equal to the number of years you received the scholarship”
Enhanced Tuition Award (ETA)
For New York residents at a participating private college with a household income of $125,000 or less. It pays up to $6,000 a year toward tuition, from the TAP award, this award and the college’s own match.
Source: New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
“Students from families earning $125,000 or less can qualify for up to $6,000 in tuition assistance at participating private colleges in New York State.”
“Provides up to $6,000 toward tuition expenses from a combination of their TAP award, ETA award, and a match from their private college match.”
New York's 529 tax deduction
Money you put into New York's 529 plan comes off your New York State income, up to $5,000 a year, or $10,000 for a married couple filing jointly. Take money out for anything other than school costs and New York may take the deduction back.
Source: NY 529 Direct Plan, Why choose NY 529
“Contributions of up to $10,000 are deductible annually from New York State taxable income for married couples filing jointly; single taxpayers can deduct up to $5,000 annually.”
“New York State tax deductions may be subject to recapture in certain circumstances such as rollovers to another state's 529 plan, nonqualified withdrawals”
NYS Scholarships for Academic Excellence
A scholarship of $500 or $1,500 a year for high-achieving graduates of New York high schools at a college in the state full time. The high school chooses students on Regents exam grades. There is no income limit.
Source: New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
“Receive $500 or $1,500 per year For high-achieving students graduating from a NYS high school and attending college full-time in NYS Students are nominated by high schools”
“Awards are based on student grades on certain Regent's exams. Students are nominated by schools.”
“There are no income limits for this Scholarship.”
NYS STEM Incentive Program
Tuition at SUNY or CUNY for students in the top 10.0% of their New York high school class who study science, technology, engineering or math full time. Afterward they live and work in New York in that field for five years. Apply in the senior year.
Source: New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
“Tuition award for students who graduate in the top 10.0% of their NYS high school class & pursue a degree in STEM at SUNY or CUNY.”
“Live in NYS and work in an approved STEM occupation for five years”
“Must apply in your high school senior year”
Aid to Native Americans
Up to $2,000 a year for enrolled members of a New York State tribe, or their children, at a college in New York State.
Source: New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
“Receive up to $2,000 per year Enrolled members of a New York State tribe or their children”
“Attending college in New York State”
NYS Memorial Scholarship
The cost of attendance at a SUNY college, or the actual cost if less. It is for the children, spouses and dependents of New York firefighters, police officers, peace officers and emergency medical workers who died in the line of duty.
Source: New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
“Scholarship for children, spouses and financial dependents of deceased firefighters, volunteer firefighters, police officers, peace officers (including NYS Correction Officers), and emergency medical service workers who have died on the job.”
“Covers cost of attendance at a state-operated SUNY or the actual cost of attendance, whichever is less.”
New York also has aid for part-time students, memorial scholarships, and programs for future teachers and nurses. See the Higher Education Services Corporation's list.
From the colleges
What each college gives for grades, what it promises on aid, and its full price.
| College | Merit scholarships | Promise on aid | Full price a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelphi University private |
| — | $80,640 |
| Alfred University private | None published | — | $66,570 |
| Bard College private | None published | — | $97,873 |
| Barnard College private | None published | Says it covers 100% of what a family cannot pay | $101,165 |
| Baruch College public | None published | — | $12,571 |
| Binghamton University public | None published | — | $32,729 |
| Brooklyn College public | None published | — | $12,801 |
| Canisius University private | None published | — | $55,193 |
| City College public | None published | — | $29,760 |
| City Tech public | None published | — | $12,938 |
| Clarkson University private | None published | — | $87,352 |
| Colgate University private | None published | Says it covers 100% of what a family cannot pay; The Colgate Commitment — generally tuition-free for family income of $175,000 or less | $102,176 |
| College of Staten Island CUNY public | None published | — | $32,192 |
| Columbia University private | None published | Says it covers 100% of what a family cannot pay $0 Expected Parent Contribution Free Tuition Start-Up Grant | $101,847 |
| Cornell University private | None published | Says it covers 100% of what a family cannot pay; No-loan aid package — incomes up to $75,000 | $101,454 |
| Daemen University private | None published | — | $56,503 |
| Dominican University New York private | None published | — | $56,944 |
| Farmingdale State College public | None published | — | $26,840 |
| Fordham University private | None published | — | $102,937 |
| Hamilton College private | None published | Says it covers 100% of what a family cannot pay | $99,892 |
| Hobart William Smith Colleges private | None published | — | $91,352 |
| Hofstra University private | None published | — | $87,318 |
| Hunter College public | None published | — | $12,749 |
| Iona University private |
| — | $74,013 |
| Ithaca College private | None published | — | $80,195 |
| John Jay College public | None published | — | $12,759 |
| Le Moyne College private | None published | — | $64,675 |
| Lehman College public | None published | — | $12,787 |
| Long Island University private | None published | — | $67,765 |
| Manhattan University private | None published | — | $78,809 |
| Manhattanville University private | None published | — | $68,756 |
| Marist University private | None published | Marist's Empire State Promise: tuition, housing and dining capped at $32,000 in the first year for New York families earning $200,000 or less | $77,225 |
| Medgar Evers College public | None published | — | $13,718 |
| Mercy University private | None published | — | $44,062 |
| Molloy University private | None published | — | $69,680 |
| Mount Saint Mary College private | None published | — | $68,952 |
| Nazareth University private |
| — | $66,920 |
| New York Institute of Technology private | None published | — | $85,146 |
| New York University private | None published | Says it covers 100% of what a family cannot pay; The NYU Promise — no tuition for families with income under $100,000 and typical assets | $100,367 |
| Niagara University private | None published | — | $58,510 |
| Pace University private | None published | — | $87,587 |
| Pratt Institute private | None published | — | $91,475 |
| Queens College public | None published | — | $27,839 |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute private | None published | — | $91,786 |
| Roberts Wesleyan University private | None published | — | $59,275 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology private | None published | — | $86,447 |
| Sarah Lawrence College private | None published | — | $98,426 |
| Siena University private | None published | — | $72,641 |
| Skidmore College private | None published | Says it covers 100% of what a family cannot pay | $98,397 |
| St Bonaventure University private | None published | — | $65,406 |
| St Lawrence University private | None published | — | $92,294 |
| St. Francis College private | None published | — | $53,560 |
| St. John Fisher University private | None published | — | $64,220 |
| St. John's University private | None published | — | $83,826 |
| Stony Brook University public | None published | — | $32,518 |
| SUNY at Fredonia public | None published | — | $27,175 |
| SUNY at Purchase College public | None published | — | $30,118 |
| SUNY Brockport public | None published | — | $27,979 |
| SUNY Buffalo State University public | None published | — | $28,916 |
| SUNY College at Geneseo public | None published | — | $28,037 |
| SUNY College at Potsdam public | None published | — | $27,193 |
| SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill public | None published | — | $28,704 |
| SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry public | None published | — | $31,078 |
| SUNY College of Technology at Canton public | None published | — | $29,407 |
| SUNY Cortland public | None published | — | $27,192 |
| SUNY Maritime College public | None published | — | $28,293 |
| SUNY New Paltz public | None published | — | $28,619 |
| SUNY Old Westbury public | None published | — | $27,127 |
| SUNY Oneonta public | None published | — | $28,338 |
| SUNY Oswego public | None published | — | $29,404 |
| SUNY Plattsburgh public | None published | — | $29,753 |
| SUNY Polytechnic Institute public | None published | — | $28,821 |
| Syracuse University private | None published | — | $97,215 |
| Union College private | None published | — | $97,937 |
| United Talmudical Seminary private | None published | — | $27,212 |
| University at Albany public | None published | — | $30,031 |
| University at Buffalo public | None published | — | $32,076 |
| University of Mount Saint Vincent private | None published | — | $68,287 |
| University of Rochester private | None published | — | $99,905 |
| Utica University private | None published | — | $49,500 |
| Vassar College private | None published | Says it covers 100% of what a family cannot pay | $101,811 |
| Wagner College private | None published | — | $77,686 |
| Yeshiva University private | None published | — | $75,530 |
| York College public | None published | — | $13,722 |
Each college's page has a promise's conditions, in the college's own words. “Worth asking about” marks a program the college describes in words that stop short of a promise.
Full price: tuition and fees, housing and food, and books; in state at a public university. What your family would pay after grants depends on your income: the finder shows it.
12 more New York colleges have no page here. For 1 of them, the federal data has no cost or no price by income. The rest mainly teach graduate students or run online programs. Show them
- CUNY Graduate School and University Center
- Empire State University
- United States Military Academy
- Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel
- Yeshivath Viznitz
- D'Youville University
- Hartwick College
- Marymount Manhattan College
- Russell Sage College
- St. Joseph's University-New York
- The New School
- Touro University
Guides to New York's public universities
Each guide follows families at different incomes through one system, campus by campus.
Paying the rest
Your SmartTuition plan uses your savings, your 529, your loans and your award letter.
Build your SmartTuition plan, $99 →Best once your award letter arrives. No letter yet? Get the monthly email.
How we worked these out
What a SmartTuition plan saves
The $7,900 in the “Pay less for college” box near the top of this page is the median saving over our New York scenarios. Each scenario is a household in New York at one of its colleges. Its income is one of 8 from $45,000 to $200,000, and its savings are none, $40,000 or $100,000 in a 529. We price each college at the aid it reports for the income.
Every scenario has parents with good credit and $500 a month toward college. A saving is the difference, over four years, between a SmartTuition plan and the standard approach: savings first, then loans for the rest. It counts loan interest, the federal tax credit and New York's tax deduction for money you put through its 529 plan. Credit matters: parents with fair credit borrow at a higher rate, which changes the saving.
A scenario where the parents would borrow more than $65,000 is left out, as is one at a college that reports no aid for the income. The figure is for a household that lives in New York.
Costs: each college's own published price where it has one, otherwise the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, carried forward to fall 2027. Grants: each program’s own page. Scholarships: each college's own page, read by us and checked against it. SmartTuition.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any institution named here.