State University of New York at New Paltz

Public · Moderately Selective · NY

Photo: J. Passepartout (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationNY · Northeast

SettingRural

Undergrads6,086

Student:faculty16:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate58.1%

6-yr grad rate71.6%

Drop-out rate15%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$9k

Out-of-state tuition$19k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity41.8%

Gender diversity63.2%

International1%

Identity—

Overview

SUNY New Paltz is one of the more selective and distinctive campuses within the SUNY system, set in the Hudson Valley beneath the Shawangunk Ridge, a nationally known rock-climbing destination. It has built a reputation as an arts- and outdoors-oriented public university with a stronger liberal-arts identity than many of its SUNY peers.

Academics

Art and design, including a well-regarded ceramics program, along with education and engineering, are notable strengths, and the university's honors and liberal arts programs give it a more selective academic profile than a typical SUNY comprehensive campus.

Campus & student life

The village of New Paltz has a walkable, artsy, outdoorsy character shaped as much by the college as by the climbers and hikers who come for the Gunks. Students have easy access to hiking and climbing right outside town, and New York City is close enough — about ninety minutes — for regular day trips without being a commuter reality.

Getting in

New Paltz is more selective than most SUNY campuses, and its strong arts and honors programs draw applicants specifically for those tracks rather than treating it as a generic SUNY safety option.

Worth knowing

The Shawangunks' climbing reputation is a real part of student culture, not just scenery — outdoor recreation clubs and access to the Gunks shape campus life in a way few other SUNY campuses can match.

newpaltz.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate61.6%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1170–1340 · ACT 25–29

Test policyoptional

Rec letters—

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionNov 15

Regular decisionMay 1

Verified from the school’s admissions page ↗

Applying