collageWhether deciding to join our department as a student or new faculty member, verifying a university’s rankings and evaluating data used to determine the rankings should be a critical part of the process. Here is a sample of our Department and University rankings:
- CS Rankings.org – Stony Brook is at #27 in this ranking of top computer science schools which is “designed to identify institutions and faculty actively engaged in research”.
- National Research Council – The Stony Brook University Department of Computer Science ranks 16 and 17 in the National Research Council (NRC) survey of doctoral programs. The NRC ranking is considered the “gold standard” of academic rankings because of comprehensive and objective review of the academic performance of a department. U.S. News & World Report (USNews) CS Graduate School and National Rankings
- Computer Science is ranked among the top tier (#40) of national universities by USNews.
- U.S. News & World Report (USNews) University Rankings
- Mathematics graduate program at Stony Brook ranked 26th
- Stony Brook University ranked #39 in the Top Public National Universities
- Phds.org, an independent website, analyzes data from the National Research Council, National Science Foundation, and National Center for Education Statistics and ranks graduate programs according to a number of priorities.
- Using their Quick Rank feature, the CS program at Stony Brook ranks in the 11th position with a survey quality rating of 8-45
- Payscale.com
- Ranked the Department of Computer Science 10th among the nation’s top schools for return on investment (ROI).
- The University is ranked 16th among public universities with the highest ROI.
- Forbes Best Value – The 2019 Forbes ranking listed Stony Brook at #29 overall and #13 in public universities.
- National Science Foundation (NSF) – One of ten universities to receive an NSF award for integrating research and undergraduate education.
- American Universities (AAU) – AAU places Stony Brook University among the top 62 research institutions in North America.
- Kiplinger’s Personal Finance – Kiplingers ranked Stony Brook University in the top 25 best values in public colleges.
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings – Stony Brook University is ranked among the top one percent of all universities in the world.
- National Science Foundation – In the NSF-funded NAGPS survey where computer science graduate students and new PhDs graded their institutions, the Department was ranked among the top 10.
- Institute for Higher Education in Shanghai – Ranked Stony Brook among the top 150 universities in the world
- Times of London Higher Education Supplement – In a rating of the best sciences universities globally, ranked Stony Brook No. 76 in the world, 21st in the U.S. and 10th among U.S. public universities.
We are thrilled to see SUNY colleges and universities once again ranked among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report,
said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “The SUNY campuses to make the 2014 Best Graduate Schools list are consistently recognized for the top quality and top value that they offer students, and rightly so.”
stony brook computer science admission requirements
Admission to the Undergraduate Honors Program
For high school students, admission is based on academic record. A strong interest in mathematics and natural sciences will be helpful, but high school computer science is not required. Minimum requirements are:
- Combined SAT score on two traditional components (critical reading and math) of at least 1300
- Unweighted high school average of 93% or better in a rigorous program of study
For current computer science students at Stony Brook University, admission is based on:
- A minimum GPA of at least 3.5 both overall and in computer science
- Completion of 3 computer science courses, including 2 upper division courses
Prospective students should complete the Stony Brook University application and then submit the online Freshman Supplemental Application. For details and to apply go to http://www.stonybrook.edu/ugadmissions/freshman/; Current Stony Brook students may submit applications directly to the Computer Science Undergraduate Office.
SUNY Stony Brook Computer & Information Sciences Rankings
SUNY Stony Brook was ranked #99 on College Factual’s most recent list of the best schools for computer and information sciences majors. This puts the bachelor’s program at the school solidly in the top 15% of all colleges and universities in the country. It is also ranked #9 in New York.
Popularity of Computer & Information Sciences at SUNY Stony Brook
During the 2020-2021 academic year, Stony Brook University handed out 366 bachelor’s degrees in computer and information sciences. Due to this, the school was ranked #53 in popularity out of all colleges and universities that offer this degree. This is an increase of 5% over the previous year when 348 degrees were handed out.
In 2021, 323 students received their master’s degree in computer and information sciences from SUNY Stony Brook. This makes it the #40 most popular school for computer and information sciences master’s degree candidates in the country.
In addition, 37 students received their doctoral degrees in computer and information sciences in 2021, making the school the #11 most popular school in the United States for this category of students.
4 Best Colleges for Computer Science in New York
The best colleges for computer science in New York are among the best in the nation. From esteemed private colleges to the state’s strong public university system, there are many great options for studying computer science in New York.
Computer science prepares you for a job as a software developer—named the best job in America by U.S. News and World Report. Software developers code the systems, programs and apps that we couldn’t live without, and they get paid well to do so. The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports a median annual salary of $105,590, and these jobs aren’t going away. The OOH predicts 21% job growth over the next ten years.
If you’re interested in computer science, you can also check out College Guidepost’s rankings for the best value colleges in computer science, as well as the best overall. In this article, we’ll look at the best colleges for computer science in New York.
Let’s start with our very honorable mentions.
Honorable Mention: 7 New York universities were ranked in or around the top 100 in computer science nationally, and still didn’t make our top four. While these programs didn’t make our list, they’re still among the best colleges for computer science in New York and the nation: Binghamton University – SUNY, City University of New York, University at Albany – SUNY, University at Buffalo – SUNY, University of Rochester, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Syracuse University.
Other New York universities with ABET-accredited computer science programs include Hofstra University, Iona College, SUNY Brockport, New York Institute of Technology, CUNY – College of Staten Island, Pace University, and the United States Military Academy.
Whew! As you’re probably beginning to realize, New York has plenty of great colleges to choose from. Let’s get on to our prestigious top four.
4. Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University is a public research university in the SUNY system. Offering over 200 undergraduate programs and enrolling over 25,000 students, Stony Brook has quickly earned a reputation for academic excellence since its founding in 1957. Ranked among the top 50 universities in the country by Money Magazine and the 13th best value public university in America by Forbes, Stony Brook’s star continues to rise.
Student outcomes are one reason for their strong reputation, with 94% of recent graduates employed or enrolled in grad school. As you might expect, admissions are competitive, with over half of applicants turned away. The middle 50% of admitted students scored between 26-32 on the ACT. Another reason for Stony Brook’s popularity is their great in-state value—tuition and fees cost just over $10,000 a year for New York residents.
Stony Brook’s reputation in computer science is even stronger, ranked 27th in the nation by CSRankings. The department‘s alumni include the founder of Shutterstock, a Stanford president, and Dr. Ben Shneiderman, the guy who created the hyperlink. Thank you Dr. Shneiderman (we do like our hyperlinks here at College Guidepost).
Their undergraduate programs include opportunities for accelerated graduate degrees, as well as specializations including Information Assurance, Game Programming, Data Science, and Human-Computer Interaction. If you’re still not convinced Stony Brook’s computer science department is for you, here are a few more rankings.
Despite their #4 ranking on this list, Stony Brook University bows before no one when it comes to computer science. For New York residents, Stony Brook is by far the best value in the state for computer science—and one of the best values in the country.
3. New York University
The famed NYU was founded in 1831 and has grown to enroll over 58,000 students, making it the largest private university in the United States. Among the faculty are 5 Nobel Prize winners, 5 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 4 Abel Prize winners. The university’s academic reputation explains why students keep flocking to NYU, even with the annual tuition of over $53,000.
New York University’s computer science department offers double major opportunities along with their computer science B.A. Whatever track you choose, you can be sure of a great education: CSRankings places NYU 18th in the nation in computer science.
Despite having one of the world’s best computer science programs, New York University ranks a lowly 3rd on our list. New York’s competition is just too tough.
2. Columbia University
Columbia was founded in 1754 by good old King George II of England. Today, the prestigious private Ivy League university is still going strong, ranked 3rd in the nation behind Princeton and Harvard by U.S. News. As you can guess, admission is very selective, with only 5% of applicants accepted, with an average ACT score of 33-35 (middle 50%).
The computer science faculty have racked up too many awards to list here, and CSRankings puts Columbia 13th in the nation for computer science. Columbia’s undergraduate offerings include both a B.A. and B.S. in computer science, with a mathematics focus available.
We could say more, but Columbia’s reputation speaks for itself. If you can get accepted and afford the tuition (almost $59,000 a year), Columbia University is one of the most storied universities in the world. As with every other major it offers, Columbia is an excellent choice for computer science.
1. Cornell University
Cornell is another prestigious private school, though it is unique as the only land-grant university in the Ivy League, partnering closely with the state of New York. Cornell enrolls 15,000 undergraduate students and boasts an impressive 50 Nobel laureates. Ranked as high as 14th in the world (QS), Cornell continues to uphold its formidable reputation.
In no field is that more true than computer science, where Cornell placed 8th in the nation (CSRankings), outranking all of its Ivy League counterparts. With award-winning computer science faculty, a B.A. and B.S. in computer science, and undergraduate research opportunities, Cornell offers the best computer science degree in New York, and one of the top ten in the nation.
Cornell’s annual tuition runs over $58,000 a year, as you might expect from such a prestigious institution. If you do have an opportunity to study there, congratulations. We rank Cornell University 1st in New York for computer science majors.
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