State University of New York at Plattsburgh

Public · Moderately Selective · NY

Photo: Mmrvideo (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationNY · Northeast

SettingRural

Undergrads3,769

Student:faculty15:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate43.7%

6-yr grad rate58.5%

Drop-out rate26.8%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$9k

Out-of-state tuition$19k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity37.4%

Gender diversity59.6%

International3.6%

Identity—

Overview

SUNY Plattsburgh sits in far northern New York between Lake Champlain and the Adirondack High Peaks, close enough to Montreal that Canadian influence is a real part of campus life. The setting drives much of the school's identity, drawing students who want an outdoors-forward college experience integrated into their academics.

Academics

Expeditionary studies, a rare undergraduate program in outdoor adventure leadership, reflects the school's Adirondack surroundings directly, and nursing and education are also well-established professional programs. Class sizes are generally modest for a public university.

Campus & student life

The lake and mountains are not incidental to campus culture; many students choose Plattsburgh for exactly that access, and the outdoors runs through much of student life outside the classroom. Hockey is the dominant sport and a genuine point of campus pride, drawing crowds beyond the typical Division III turnout.

Getting in

Admission is not highly selective, with the process straightforward and geared toward regional and outdoors-minded students rather than an intensely competitive applicant pool.

Worth knowing

The proximity to Montreal, under two hours away, means students have real access to a major Canadian city, and the expeditionary studies program is genuinely unusual among four-year colleges, not merely an outdoor-recreation minor dressed up.

plattsburgh.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate78.4%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1080–1250 · ACT 22–28

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying