Online Colleges in New York

New York offers a world of opportunity for aspiring students looking to earn a degree. The state’s economy continues to grow, creating more high-paying jobs. Furthermore, the majority of the state’s job creation resulted from gains in highly trained and specialty skilled industries, professions that typically require postsecondary education or training for employment. As the professional opportunities increase in New York, so too do the educational opportunities. Not only do you and your fellow state residents benefit from lower-than-average tuition prices, but you also receive in-state scholarship opportunities, networking experiences, and continuing education potential when studying at New York state accredited online colleges.

Featured Online Schools

Higher Learning Initiatives in New York

Cloud-Based Storage for Course Info

Evidence of New York’s online education movement is Buffalo State’s recent decision to use a cloud-based platform for online course information. The school, along with Arizona State University and University of Illinois-Springfield, will be using CourseSites, which has innovative features like self-enrollment and peer review options. Also, it comes ready with templates and themes, making it easy to use and get started. There’s even a mobile aspect to the technology that allows students and instructors to access courses through Android, Apple, Blackberry devices and more, so students may access assignments and work on the go.

Google Apps for Education

Another New York school making waves is NYU’s Stern School of Business. The institution, along with Buffalo State’s and several other educational entities across the world are using Google Apps for Education to make learning and studying a more collective, collaborative, and connected process. With this technology, course documents, calendars, and more are available anytime, anywhere with the click of a mouse. Free to users, it’s sure to be a part of many more schools and courses in the future.

Online Courses and Degrees

Many of New York’s public and private colleges offer a host of online courses, degrees, and certificates for students to pursue from anywhere in the state, country, or world. Many of the universities also offer searchable databases for students to find the program that best suits their needs. The SUNY Learning Network, a website created by the State University of New York system, provides information on all distance learning opportunities available through the system’s more than 40 campuses. New York-based Excelsior College is a distance-only adult-centered university that provides credit for prior learning and easily accessible ways for adults nationwide to complete their higher education.

Popular Degree Programs in New York

In New York, many of the fastest-growing industries, like information, business, and hospitality and leisure, require professionals with strong communication and analytical skills. New York also hosts industries fairly unique to the state, like theater and performance arts, which also propels educational growth in those areas.

• Psychology: Nationwide, psychology represents the fourth most popular degree. In New York, more students graduate with psychology degrees than any other major. The psychology major provides graduates with skills in communication and critical thinking, applicable skills for most of the thriving industries in New York.
• Visual and Performing Arts: While industry typically drives what degrees students choose most often, so too does the quality of programs. For these reasons, New York hosts a disproportionate percentage of visual and performing arts majors compared to other states. Not only do graduates find more work in this industry than most other states, but New York offers some of the best performing arts schools in the country.

Paying for College in New York

When choosing between online colleges and universities in New York, several important factors should be considered. Tuition costs, understandably so, often represents one of the most important deciding factors. While the cost of living in New York comes in substantially higher than the national average, tuition fees, particularly at public four-year colleges, actually are not. The information below identifies how New York tuition prices rank nationally, and also should help students measure how their ideal program measures up to state and national averages.

Tuition Prices

The following table displays New York’s average tuition prices for two-year and four-year public college tuition prices and how those rank with the national averages. Please note that these tuition prices do not include additional costs like transportation, physical materials, and room and board.

Average Price for In-State Tuition and Fees by Institution Type, 2017-18

Source: College Board

Employment Outlook in New York

The employment outlook for New York students paints one of the better pictures in the state’s history. Despite New York’s unemployment numbers sitting slightly higher than the national average, the 3.9% rate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), ranks the lowest ever recorded since records started in 1976. The private sector experienced growth in 82 of the last 95 months, and the workforce earns nearly $10,000 more annually than the national average. This growth looks especially promising for aspiring college students in a state that expects 69% of jobs to require a postsecondary education by 2020.

Source: BLS

Source: BLS

Accreditation for Colleges in New York

A college and program search typically involves plenty of subjective information, but accreditation remains one of more reliable methods for determining program quality. Regional accreditation comes from one of the six accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). In New York, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education provides accreditation to the schools that meet the standards set out by the organization. For students, regional accreditation provides assurances that a reputable agency investigated the school of their choice and determined its educational practices met the acceptable regional standards. The ED offers an institutional accreditation database for students to verify if their school received the proper documentation.

National accreditation, while not as common, typically appears at the program level. Some national associations or organizations set nationwide standards for an industry, particularly in healthcare or law enforcement. Programs that meet the standards of those organizations or lead to a specific national license or certification, for example, receive national accreditations. For students, these national accreditations help guide decisions based on the student’s career goals or licensure aspirations.

Since some professions and organizations make accredited programs mandatory for licensure or employment, students should determine if their intended field requires graduation from a nationally accredited program. Online schools and programs seek and require the same accreditations as their on-campus counterparts.

Scholarships for New York Online College Students

Financing a college education can challenge students from all over the country, but the various scholarships available make the process a little easier. In New York, students find scholarship opportunities in state-run programs, in-state organizations and associations, and schools. The following list highlights some of the best scholarships available to New York students.

Resources for Students in New York

• NYS Higher Education Services Corporation: Loaded with resources for students, this website offers financial aid information, applications, and advice for aspiring college students. The corporation also offers support for students in repaying their loans, finding accommodation, and even provides tips for preparing for college.
• New York State Education Department: The office of higher education through the New York State Education Department provides students with information on the state’s schools, the different grants and financial aid programs, and statistics on higher education in New York. Students also gain access to information on different certifications in the state.
• The State University of New York: With 64 institutions across the state, the State University of New York represents the largest university network in the country. Yet, SUNY does not only provide information about its affiliated schools, but it also offers information about the state of New York, the valuable programs, industries, and professions.
• Open NYS: Open NYS combines the resources of SUNY and the City University of New York and offers students access to that collection. Students and faculty receive high-quality resources at lower costs, but the program also hosts workshops and events, along with scholarship opportunities.
• The Education Trust – New York: Advocating for better educational standards in New York, the Education Trusts also fights for improved access to higher education, particularly for minorities and economically disadvantaged students. For students, the Education Trust offers access to its reports, policies, and initiatives. Visitors can read up on the Trust’s current and upcoming issues as well.

Online Schools in New York