Quick Facts

 

  • Developing Human Capital

    New York's private colleges and universities educate more than 486,000 students a year, including nearly 300,000 New Yorkers. In addition to its liberal arts colleges, research universities, and leaders in women's education, the sector has 15 private engineering schools and programs, eight private medical schools, 13 law schools, and two dental colleges. Independent colleges and universities award most bachelor's (54%), master's (73%) and doctoral and first professional degrees (79%) earned in the state.

  • Providing Access and Diversity

    One in three (27%) New Yorkers enrolled full time at independent colleges and universities comes from a family earning less than $40,000 annually. Most (51%) African-American and Hispanic students who earn their bachelor's and graduate degrees in New York State are Independent Sector alumni.

  • Maximizing the Higher Education Dollar

    Each year, the Independent Sector educates nearly four in every ten students (38%) enrolled in higher education in the state. Half the Independent Sector undergraduates who receive TAP support (49%) come from familites with incomes less than $40,000; nearly three-quarters (71%) have family incomes below $60,000. Additionally, in FY 2009-10, more than 100,000 students attending a private, not-for-profit college or university recived approximately $414 million in Pell Grant funds, with an average award of $4,035 per student, and nearly 46,000 students received an additioanl $33 million in SEOG funds, or an additioanl $718 on average.

  • Drawing Students to New York State

    New York State leads the nation in recruiting first-time freshmen form other states. What's more, our diverse set of colleges and universities help retain young people. In total, student and visitor spending associated with private, not-for-profit campuses annually totals $3.9 billion.

  • Powering the State's Economy

    Independent colleges and universities contribute $54.3 billion to the New York State economy annually. This includes more than $46 billion in spending by campuses, $4.3 billion by academic medical centers, and $3.9 by students and visitors. Further, ongoing construction enhances the physical footprint of campuses, bringing jobs to communities, and high quality facilities for students.

  • Providing Jobs for New Yorkers

    New York's independent colleges and universities directly employ more than 174,000 people. Based on a recent economic impact report by the Center for Govermental Research (CGR), private colleges and universities employ more than 360,000 people with a payroll of more than $19.5 billion. Additionally, in nine of the state's counties, private education represents five percent or more of total employment.

  • Pioneers in Research

    A diverse array of private, not-for-profit and colleges and universities power the state's academic research enterprise. New York ranks second among the states in R&D expenditures for colleges and universities ($4B) according to the National Science Foundation, and third for grant dollars ($1.9B) from the National Instiutes of Heath.

  • Campus Community Partners

    Although their principal focus is teaching and research, colleges and universities enhance community life, promote economic opportunity, and improve health and safety. Volunteerism in college often leads to life-long civic engagement; college gradates volunteer more, vote more often, and participate more in their communities. Colleges and universities also offer numerous - often free - artistic, athletic, cultural, and musical events.

    • Two in three students (64%) attending a four-year independent (private, not-for-profit) college or university volunteered in their communities in 2008, up 12 percentage points from 1999.
    • Students at private, not-for-profit colleges and universities in New York State are most likely to volunteer in the areas of K-12 educational programming (87.8%), environmental sustainability (82%), hunger (82%), healthcare (82%) or tutoring and mentoring (78%), according to New York Campus Compact.