Stony Brook University Earns First-Ever Top 25 National Ranking, Retains No. 1 Public University Ranking in New York

Stony Brook Achieves Its Highest Enrollment with Over 27,700 Students, Receives Most Applications in University’s History

STONY BROOK, NY–September 22, 2026–The State University of New York at Stony Brook (Stony Brook University), New York’s flagship public university, has recorded its largest enrollment and incoming first-year class in the university’s 69-year history and was once again sought out by more students than ever as their collegiate choice. The university has moved up in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings as the #24 public university nationally (up from #26) and Forbes college/university rankings as the #20 public university nationally (up from #30).

Record Breaking Enrollment

The university hit its highest enrollment with over 27,700 students overall with over 19,600 undergraduates are attending this term. This year, the university welcomed its largest first-year class, with over 4,150 students. Over 200 of these first-year students are participating in Stony Brook University’s Freshman Launch Year spending their first semester abroad at locations that include Florence, Italy; Incheon, Korea; Seoul, Korea; and Shanghai, China.

Stony Brook University also received the largest number of applications, with over 66,000 first-year applications and over 73,000 total undergraduate applications. This represents a 3% total application growth in one year and a 69% growth since 2021. These applications also represent the largest number of in-state and out-of-state applications received as the university’s reputation continues to grow.  The university also received the highest number of total applications in the State University of New York (SUNY) system.

National Rankings from U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges and Forbes

According to the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings, Stony Brook University has moved up as the #24 public university in the United States (from #26). Notably, Stony Brook is the only New York school among the top 25 public universities.

Stony Brook was once again ranked #59 among national universities this year in a 10-way tie. In recent years, the university moved from #93 in the 2022 rankings to #59 presently. For the fifth year in a row, according to the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings, Stony Brook continues to rank as the #1 public university in New York.

Ranking highlights achieved include:

• The university remained ranked at #13 as the “Top Performers on Social Mobility” nationally.
• The university is ranked #27 nationally as the “Best Value School for In-State Students” in New York (new ranking).
• The university is ranked #50 in “Undergraduate Psychology Programs” nationally (moving from #52).
• The university is ranked #52 in “Undergraduate Computer Science Programs” nationally (moving from #54).

In addition, Forbes published its annual rankings and Stony Brook University is now ranked #64 overall nationally, up from #80 last year and #20 among public universities, up from #30 last year.

“This is an extraordinary moment for Stony Brook University, the #1 public university in the state of New York. A record number of applications, the largest freshman class in our history, and our first-ever recognition among the nation’s top 25 public universities reflect the remarkable upward momentum of our institution,” said Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith. “Students and families are increasingly recognizing Stony Brook as a first-choice destination for an exceptional, affordable, and accessible education where every student can reach their full potential. This recognition strengthens our ability to attract talented students from New York, around the country, and around the world. I am incredibly proud of Stony Brook’s excellence across all dimensions of our mission – education, research, healthcare, and service – as a model of public higher education that positively impacts our communities, our great state, the country and the world.”

“It is an incredible moment to be at Stony Brook,” said Richard Beatty, senior associate provost for Enrollment Management.  “Achieving record breaking enrollment and welcoming our largest-ever first-year class, alongside our rise to #24 among public universities nationwide in U.S. News & World Report is a true celebration of our academic momentum. As our vibrant community expands, we are growing with a plan. We are actively investing in our physical footprint, classroom space, and residential spaces to ensure our physical environment matches our rising standard of excellence. We are thoughtfully building a bright, well-supported future for every Seawolf while expanding access to a high-quality, affordable education.”

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About the State University of New York at Stony Brook (Stony Brook University)

The State University of New York at Stony Brook is New York’s flagship university and No. 1 public university. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. With more than 27,000 students, more than 3,000 faculty members, more than 237,000 alumni, a premier academic healthcare system and 18 NCAA Division I athletic programs, Stony Brook is a research-intensive distinguished center of innovation dedicated to addressing the world’s biggest challenges. The university embraces its mission to provide comprehensive undergraduate, graduate and professional education of the highest quality, and is ranked as the #59 overall university and #24 among public universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges listing. Fostering a commitment to academic research and intellectual endeavors, Stony Brook’s membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places it among the top 71 research institutions in North America. The university’s distinguished faculty have earned esteemed awards such as the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, Abel Prize, Fields Medal, Breakthrough prizes in mathematics and physics, and MacArthur Fellows Genius Grants. Stony Brook has the responsibility of co-managing Brookhaven National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy — one of only eight universities with a role in running a national laboratory. In 2023, Stony Brook was named the anchor institution for the  New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island in New York City. Providing economic growth for neighboring communities and the wider geographic region, the university totals an impressive $8.93 billion in increased economic output on Long Island. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/stonybrooku/ and X @stonybrooku.