Excelsior University

Private · NY

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationNY · Northeast

SettingUrban

Undergrads11,550

Student:faculty21:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate—

6-yr grad rate—

Drop-out rate—

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition—

Out-of-state tuition—

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity44.4%

Gender diversity52.8%

International0.8%

IdentityCommuter

Overview

Excelsior University is a private, primarily online university based in Albany, New York, built specifically around adult and nontraditional learners rather than a traditional residential student body. It traces its roots to the Regents External Degree program run by the University of the State of New York, which pioneered awarding credit through examinations and prior learning assessment rather than seat time, a heritage still visible in how the university evaluates transfer and military credit today.

Academics

The university is known for generous transfer-credit policies and degree-completion pathways, particularly in nursing, business, technology, and public service, letting students who already have significant college credit, military training, or professional certifications finish a degree efficiently. Its nursing program has long been recognized for serving licensed practical nurses and other working nurses pursuing a bachelor's degree without leaving the workforce.

Getting in

Admissions is geared toward working professionals and military-affiliated students, with credit for prior learning, standardized exams, and work experience playing a much larger role than in a traditional application built around grades and essays.

Worth knowing

There is no traditional residential campus, so prospective students should understand this as a degree-completion and workforce-credentialing institution rather than a conventional four-year college experience. Its historical role in credit-by-examination and prior-learning assessment makes it a common choice for military servicemembers and licensed professionals looking to formalize existing skills into a degree.

excelsior.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate—

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot reported

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying