SUNY Oneonta Advances 25 Spots
In U.S. News’ ‘Best Colleges’ List
ONEONTA – SUNY Oneonta is among the top 100 colleges in the Northeast for the ninth consecutive year, according to the U.S. News and World Report’s 2015 ranking of “Best Colleges,” due for release tomorrow.
The college jumped 25 spots to No. 41 in the “Best Regional Universities—North” category, which includes institutions in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and all of New England that offer a full range of undergraduate and master’s degrees, but few if any doctoral programs.
Among public institutions in the region, SUNY Oneonta ranks No. 10, climbing nine spots from last year.
In addition, SUNY Oneonta was one of five regional universities in the North singled out on a list of institutions whose students graduated with the lightest debt load. Nearly a third of the SUNY Oneonta Class of 2013 graduated with no debt. For those who did take out loans to help pay for their education, the average amount of debt was $15,598.
“We are delighted to once again be recognized by U.S. News for our overall quality, our commitment to our students, and our passion for their learning,” said SUNY Oneonta President Nancy Kleniewski. “This ranking acknowledges SUNY Oneonta’s pursuit of excellence in and out of the classroom, and the progress we have made under our strategic plan.”
“Again this year, we are proud to see so many of our SUNY campuses recognized as being among the best nationally by U.S. News and World Report,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “In every community across New York state, SUNY colleges and universities like SUNY Oneonta offer students top-quality degree programs and applied learning opportunities that prepare them for success in today’s 21st-century global economy.”
Over the past several years, SUNY Oneonta frequently has been recognized for providing an excellent education at an affordable cost. In addition to its consistent inclusion in the U.S. News rankings, SUNY Oneonta has been named to the Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine list of “Top 100 Best Values in Public Colleges” list for eight consecutive years, was ranked No. 2 on the 2014 Kiplinger’s list of “10 Best Public Colleges With Lowest Debt at Graduation” and sits at No. 19 on Kiplinger’s 2014 national list of “25 Best College Values Under $30,000 a Year.” In July, SUNY Oneonta earned a spot on Forbes magazine’s 2014 list of “America’s Top Colleges” for the first time since the business journal began publishing the rankings in 2008.
U.S. News surveyed colleges and universities nationwide to compile the 2015 list. Rankings are based on several factors, including data from each school and secondary sources, such as the American Association of University Professors, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Council for Aid to Education, and the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. Peer reviews by officers of other colleges also are considered.
The Best Colleges 2015 guidebook is available online. A complete explanation of the U.S. News college ranking methodology is available at
