New YorkThere are well over 200 four-year colleges and universities in the state of New York, more than any other U.S. state.  The state university system alone is the most extensive in the country.   If you or a loved one would like to pursue higher learning in The Empire State, here are the 50 safest colleges in New York.

For the sake of this list, a “college” is considered any accredited public or private not-for-profit institution that offers four-year degree programs. Campus crime stats, graduation rates, and student retention rates were taken from U.S. Department of Education annual reports. Campus crime rates are based on the number of crimes per 1,000 residents.

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#1 Roberts Wesleyan College, Rochester, NY

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Located in the city of Rochester, Roberts Wesleyan College is a private liberal arts college that was the first school in the country established by the Free Methodist Church.  The school was founded in 1866, serves over 1,700 students, and offers several areas of study including a separate graduate seminary school.  This is the safest college in New York, with a freshman retention rate of 86%, a graduation rate of 60.6%, and an on-campus crime rate of 0.

#2 New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury, NY

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A private research university, the New York Institute of Technology is located on a 1,050-acre campus in the Long Island city of Old Westbury.  The school was founded in 1910, serves more than 9,400 students, and offers more than 100 degree programs through its seven schools and colleges.  Another safe choice, the freshman retention rate here is 72%, the rate of graduation is 47.1%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#3 St. Joseph’s College – New York, Brooklyn, NY

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Located in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn, St. Joseph’s College is a private liberal arts college that serves just over 1,200 students.  The school was founded in 1916, offers more than 25 majors, and also has a separate campus on Long Island.  The freshman retention rate at St. Joseph’s College is 84%, the graduation rate here is 71.6%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#4 Molloy College, Rockville Centre, NY

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A private Catholic college in the Long Island town of Rockville Center, Molloy College serves more than 4,600 enrolled students.  The school was founded in 1955, is affiliated with the Roman Catholic church, and offers more than 50 degree programs and the undergraduate and graduate level.  The school retains freshmen at a rate of 89%, has a graduation rate of 66.2%, and has an on-campus crime rate of 0.

#5 CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York City, NY

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Located in the Midtown Manhattan area of New York City, the John Jay College of Criminal Justice (John Jay) is part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system.  This public university was founded in 1964, serves more than 15,000 students, and is well-known for its criminal justice, forensics, and public affairs programs.  The freshman retention rate at John Jay is 78%, the graduation rate here is 33.5%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#6 CUNY Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY

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A public college in the City University of New York (CUNY) system, Brooklyn College serves over 16,400 enrolled students.  The school was founded in 1930 and is known for both its picturesque 26-acre campus and for the value of quality education that it provides.  The freshman retention rate at Brooklyn College is 86%, the school’s graduation rate is 51%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#7 CUNY Lehman College, The Bronx, NY

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Another CUNY school, Lehman College is a public university that is located in the Bronx section of New York City.  The school was founded in 1967, serves more than 12,000 students, and offers over 90 areas of study at the undergraduate and graduate level.  The freshman retention rate here is 81%, the graduation rate is 37%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#8 Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City, NY

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Located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, the Fashion Institute of New York (FIT) is a public university in the State University of New York (SUNY) system.  The school was founded in 1944, serves more than 9,700 students, and is ranked among the top five fashion schools in the world.  The freshman retention rate at FIT is 88%, the school’s graduation rate is 70.2%, and the rate of on-campus crime is 0.

#9 Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Brooklyn, NY

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Another State University of New York (SUNY) school, the SUNY Polytechnic Institute is a public research university that is located in the city of Brooklyn.  The school was founded in 1966, serves more than 2,900 students, and offers over 40 different degree programs through its five colleges.  The freshman retention rate at SUNY Poly is 88%, the graduation rate here is 57.1%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#10 Davis College – New York, Johnson City, NY

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Located in the Broome County village of Johnson City, Davis College is a small private bible college that serves just over 300 enrolled students.  The school was founded in 1900 and offers both biblical and education degrees to undergraduates.  The freshman retention rate at Davis College is 87%, the graduation rate here is 42.1%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#11 Hilbert College, Hamburg, NY

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A private Franciscan college located in the Buffalo suburb of Hamburg, Hilbert College serves just over 1,000 enrolled students.  The school was founded in 1957, is considered a liberal arts college, and has a student-faculty ratio of just 13:1.  The freshman retention rate here is 75%, the graduation rate at Hilbert College is 41.1%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#12 CUNY Baruch College, New York City, NY

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Located in the Gramercy Park area of Manhattan, Baruch College is a public college that is a part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system.  The school was founded in 1968, serves more than 17,000 students, and offers more than 50 different degree programs through its three schools.  The freshman retention rate at Baruch College is 88%, the school’s graduation rate is 66.9%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#13 Adelphi University, Garden City, NY

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A private, nonsectarian university, Adelphi University is located on a 75-acre campus in the Long Island village of Garden City.  The school was founded in 1896, serves more than 7,800 students, and is known as the oldest higher learning institution on Long Island.  The freshman retention rate at Adelphi is 81%, the rate of graduation here is 62.5%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#14 Yeshiva University, New York City, NY

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Located in New York City, Yeshiva University is a private research university that is affiliated with Modern Orthodox Judaism.  The school was founded in 1886, serves more than 6,400 enrolled students, and offers a variety of degree programs including a college of medicine and a college of law.  The freshman retention rate here is 93%, the school’s graduation rate is 85.2%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#15 The King’s College – New York, New York City, NY

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The King’s College (TKC) is a private Christian liberal arts college that is located in the financial district area of Manhattan.  The school was founded in 1938, serves just 500 students, and is best-known as a conservative business, economics, and politics educational institution.  The freshman retention rate here is 60%, the graduation rate at The King’s College is 61.4%,  and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#16 CUNY Hunter College, New York City, NY

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Located in the Lenox Hill section of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Hunter College is a public university that is part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system.  The school was founded in 1870, serves over 15,500 students, and offers more than 150 degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level. The freshman retention rate here is 87%, the school’s graduation rate is 50.4%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#17 Touro College, New York City, NY

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Touro College is a private, primarily Jewish, college that is located in New York City.  The school was founded in 1970, serves more than 18,000 students, and offers a variety of degree programs including a separate medical school.  Touro’s freshman retention rate is 46%, the graduation rate here is 34.6%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#18 New York University, New York City, NY

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Located on a 230-acre urban campus in Manhattan, New York University (NYU) is a private research university that serves more than 57,200 enrolled students.  The school was founded in 1831, is one of the largest private universities in the country, and was named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 34 universities in the world.  NYU’s freshman retention rate is 92%, it’s graduation rate is 83.3%, the school’s on-campus crime rate is 0.

#19 Marymount Manhattan College, New York City, NY

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Marymount Manhattan College is a private college located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.  The school was founded in 1936 as a Catholic college, but no longer has a religious affiliation.  The school serves over 1,600 students and is known for producing top stage actors.  The freshman retention rate here is 66%, the school’s graduation rate is 44.3%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#20 CUNY College of Staten Island, Staten Island, NY

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Located on Staten Island, the College of Staten Island is a part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system.  The public university was founded in 1956, serves over 13,700 students, and offers a variety of liberal arts and sciences degrees.  The freshman retention rate at this school is 83%, the graduation rate here is 29.1%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#21 Pace University, New York City, NY

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A private university in New York City, Pace University serves over 12,700 enrolled students.  The school was founded in 1906, has nine different schools and colleges, and is home to the television show “Inside the Actors Studio” hosted by James Lipton.  The freshman retention rate at Pace is 76%, the graduation rate here is 51.5%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#22 CUNY Queens College, New York City, NY

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Located in Queens, New York, Queens College is a public university that is a part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system.  The school was founded in 1937, serves over 18,400 students, and offers more than 90 different degree programs.  The school’s freshman retention rate is 84%, the graduation rate at Queens College is 56.4%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#23 SUNY Empire State College, Saratoga Springs, NY

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Empire State College is a public liberal arts college that is a part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system.  The school was founded in 1971, services more than 18,600 students, and offers a wide variety of degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level.  The freshman retention rate at Empire State is 49%, the graduation rate here is 24.5%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#24 Long Island University – Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY

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Located on an 11-acre urban campus in Brooklyn, Long Island University (LIU) is a private, nonsectarian university.  The school was founded in 1926, offers more than 250 academic programs, and has a 12:1 student to faculty ratio.  The freshman retention rate here is 59%, the graduation rate at this school is 30.2%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#25 Metropolitan College of New York, New York City, NY

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Metropolitan College of New York is a private college located in Manhattan’s Hudson Square.   The school was established in 1964, serves over 1,200 students, and consists of three schools that offer various degree programs.  The freshman retention rate here is 52%, the graduation rate is 24.4%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#26 CUNY York College, New York City, NY

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York College is a public university located in Queens that is a part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system.  The school was founded in 1966, sits on a 50-acre urban campus, and serves more than 8,000 enrolled students.  The freshman enrollment rate at York College is 74%, the graduation rate here is 26.4%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#27 Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY

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Located in the city of Dobbs Ferry, Mercy College is a private liberal arts college that serves over 8,000 enrolled students.  The school was founded in 1950, offers more than 40 areas of study, and has a 20:1 student-faculty ratio.  The freshman retention rate here is 70%, the school’s graduation rate is 33.3%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#28 The Juilliard School, New York City, NY

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The Julliard School is a private performing arts college that serves just 850 enrolled students.  Located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the school was founded in 1905 and is known as one of the world’s leading music schools.  The freshman retention rate at Julliard is 94%, the graduation rate here is 87.7%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#29 Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY

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Located in the upstate village of Potsdam in St. Lawrence County, Clarkson University is a private research university that serves over 4,300 students.  The school was established in 1896, has a 640-acre campus, and offer more than 50 different areas of study.  The freshman retention rate here is 87%, Clarkson’s graduation rate is 72.9%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#30 Columbia University, New York City, NY

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Columbia University is a private, Ivy League, research university that is located in Upper Manhattan that serves over 27,900 students.  The school was founded in 1754, is the oldest college in the state, and has 17 colleges and schools including the oldest medical school in the country.  The freshman retention rate at Columbia is 97%, the graduation rate here is 93.3%, and the rate of on-campus crime is 0.

#31 Barnard College, New York City, NY

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Located in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, Barnard College is a private women’s liberal arts college that is affiliated with Columbia University.  The school was founded in 1889, serves over 2,300 students, and is known as one of the most selective women’s colleges in the country.  The freshman retention rate at Barnard is 98%, the graduation rate here is 89.7%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#32 Nazareth College, Rochester, NY

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Nazareth College is a private, non-denominational college located in the Rochester suburb of Pittsford.  The school was founded in 1924, serves over 2,800 students, and offers more than 80 different degree programs at the graduate and undergraduate level.  The freshman retention rate at this school is 79%, the graduation rate here is 68%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#33 The College of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY

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Located on a 20-acre suburban campus in the city of New Rochelle, The College of New Rochelle is a private Catholic college that serves more than 4,000 students.  The school was founded in 1904 and is now composed of four separate schools.  The freshman retention rate here is 62%, the school’s graduation rate is 26.3%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#34 The New School, New York City, NY

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The New School is a private research university that is located in the Greenwich Village section of New York City.  The school was founded in 1919, serves more than 10,000 enrolled students, and is known for its open intellectual environment.  The freshman retention rate at The New School is 83%, the graduation rate here is 63.4%, the school’s on-campus crime rate is 0.

#35 CUNY City College of New York, New York City, NY

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Located in the Hamilton Heights area of Manhattan, the City College of New York (CCNY) is a public university that is a part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system.  The school was founded in 1847, serves more than 16,100 students, and offers many areas of study with a well-known physics program.  The freshman retention rate at CCNY is 87%, the graduation rate here is 42%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#36 Iona College, New Rochelle, NY

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Iona College is a private college that is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, Congregation of Christian Brothers.  The school was founded in 1940, serves more than 3,900 students, and sits on a 45-acre suburban campus in New Rochelle, just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan.  The freshman retention rate at Iona is 83%, the school’s graduation rate is 62.6%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#37 St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY

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A private liberal arts college, St. John Fisher College is located in the Rochester suburb of Pittsford.  The school was established in 1948, serves more than 3,700 students, and was ranked number one by U.S. News and World Report on a list of top Doctoral Research Universities.  The freshman retention rate here is 83%, the graduation rate is 72.5%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#38 St. Francis College, New York City, NY

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Located in the Brooklyn Heights area of New York City, St. Francis College is a private college that serves more than 2,700 students.  The school was founded in 1859, is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, and has an average class size of just 20 students.  The freshman retention rate at St. Francis College is 80%, the school’s graduation rate is 52.1%, and the rate of on-campus crime is 0.

#39 Niagara University, Niagara Falls, NY

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Niagara University is a private, Catholic university located in the Niagara County town of Lewiston.  The school was established in 1856, serves more than 4,200 students, and offers both liberal arts and technical areas of study.  The freshman retention rate at this school is 81%, the graduation rate is 65.1%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#40 Daemen College, Amherst Town, NY

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Located in the Erie County city of Amherst, Daemen College is a private liberal arts college that serves just over 3,000 students.  The school was founded in 1947 and offers more than 30 different degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level.  The freshman retention rate here is 74%, the school’s graduation rate is 49.3%, and the rate of on-campus crime is 0.

#41 Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

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Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a private university located in the Rochester suburb of Henrietta.  The school was founded in 1829, serves over 18,600 students, and is known for its fine arts programs that often rank in the top in the nation.  The freshman retention rate at RIT is 87%, the graduation rate her is 63.9%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#42 St. John’s University – New York, Queens, NY

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Located in the Queens area of New York City, St. John’s University is a private, Roman Catholic university that serves over 21,000 students.  The school was founded in 1870, has a 105-acre campus, and offers more than 100 different degree programs.  The freshman retention rate here is 80%, the school’s graduation rate is 55.7%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#43 SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry, Syracuse, NY

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The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) is a public specialized university that is located in the Central New York city of Syracuse.  The school was founded in 1911, serves over 2,700 students, and is known for its natural sciences programs.  The freshman retention rate at SUNY-ESF is 86%, the school’s graduation rate is 71.6%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#44 The Sage Colleges, Troy, NY

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The Sage Colleges is a collection of three private colleges in the city of Albany.  The schools are Russell Sage College, Sage College of Albany, and Sage Graduate School. The colleges serve a total of 2,800 enrolled students and offer more than 70 different degree programs.  The freshman retention rate here is 78%, the graduation rate at the schools is 58%, the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#45 Concordia College – New York, Bronxville, NY

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Located in the Westchester County village of Bronxville, Concordia College is a private liberal arts college that is affiliated with the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. The school was founded in 1881, serves over 950 students, and is known for its nursing program.  The freshman retention rate at Concordia is 69%, the graduation rate here is 39.4%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#46 Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY

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A private, nonsectarian university, Pratt Institute is located the city of Brooklyn and serves more than 4,600 enrolled students.  The school was founded in 1887, is comprised of five colleges, and is recognized by Princeton Review as one of the top colleges in the Northeast.  The freshman retention rate at Pratt is 87%, the school’s graduation rate is 62.8%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#47 Manhattan College, New York City, NY

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Manhattan College is a private Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in the Bronx area of New York City.  The school was founded in 1853, serves more than 3,100 students, and is divided into five undergraduate schools.  The freshman retention rate here is 88%, the graduation rate at Manhattan College is 73.7%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#48 Binghamton University, SUNY, Vestal Town, NY

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Located in the Broome County town of Vestal, Binghamton University is a public university that is a part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system.  The school was founded in 1946, serves over 16,800 enrolled students, and has a 887-acre suburban campus.  The freshman retention rate here is 91%, the school’s graduation rate is 80.8%, and the on-campus crime rate is 0.

#49 Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY

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A private liberal arts college on a 180-acre campus in the Hudson River Valley town of Poughkeepsie, Marist College serves over 5,300 students.  The school was established in 1929, offers more than 75 degree programs, and is consistently ranked as one of the country’s top regional colleges.  Marist College’s freshman retention rate is 90%, the graduation rate here is 80.4%, and the rate of crime on campus is 0.

#50 SUNY Maritime College, New York City, NY

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Located in the Bronx neighborhood of New York City, SUNY Maritime College is a part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system and is one of only seven degree-granting maritime academies in the country.  The school was founded in 1874 and serves more than 600 enrolled students.  The freshman retention rate here is 79%, the school’s graduation rate is 50.1%, and the on-campus crime rate is 1.

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