New York Private Colleges Ranked by Highest Acceptance Rate

Below is a ranking of the 119 private colleges in New York with the highest acceptance rate for freshman undergraduate applications. Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology leads the list by accepting 100% of high school students that applied.

Acceptance rate is a measure of the competitiveness of a school. Lower acceptance rates are more competitive and may require a higher GPA, SAT/ACT score, and other factors to be considered for admission.

List of New York Private Colleges Ranked by Highest Acceptance Rate
College	Acceptance Rate
Mesivta Torah Vodaath Rabbinical Seminary Brooklyn, New York	80%
Manhattan University Riverdale, New York	79%
Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid Far Rockaway, New York	79%
Clarkson University Potsdam, New York	77%
Elmira College Elmira, New York	77%
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science Paul Smiths, New York	77%
Talmudical Seminary Oholei Torah Brooklyn, New York	77%
Pace University New York, New York	76%
Nazareth University Rochester, New York	75%
Alfred University Alfred, New York	74%
Pratt Institute Main Brooklyn, New York	73%
Canisius University Buffalo, New York	72%
St. Joseph's University New York Brooklyn, New York	72%
Yeshivath Shaar Hatorah Kew Gardens, New York	72%
Roberts Wesleyan University Rochester, New York	71%
Hartwick College Oneonta, New York	70%
Yeshiva of Machzikai Hadas Brooklyn, New York	70%
Ithaca College Ithaca, New York	69%

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This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: March 15, 2026

Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.