Stony Brook, Merchant Marine Academy ranks high on the US News & World Report’s list of best colleges

Stony Brook University and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy continued to rank highly in U.S. News & World Report’s revised 2025 Best Colleges rankings released early Tuesday, while Farmingdale State College jumped into the top 10 list of regional schools.

Stony Brook University tied for 58th place on last year’s national university list – the highest ranking the university has ever achieved. This year’s ranking is also the highest national ranking of any public institution in the State University of New York. According to officials there, it is the best public university in New York for the third year in a row.

The university is “firmly committed to providing an exceptional education,” said interim President Richard L. McCormick, adding that it exemplifies “all the important developments in modern American higher education,” including a diverse student body and extensive research achievements.

The university is on par with schools such as the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, North Carolina State and Villanova. To be included in the national university category, schools must “offer a range of undergraduate degree programs as well as master’s and doctoral programs and emphasize faculty research or award doctorates in professional practice,” according to US News.

Last year, U.S. News changed its methodology for the first time in its more than 40-year history. The new criteria give more weight to the educational outcomes of low-income students. More than half of a school’s rankings are made up of criteria related to how successful an institution is at admitting and graduating students from diverse backgrounds with manageable debt and success after graduation, according to the U.S. News data team.

The national rankings evaluated nearly 1,500 colleges and universities on up to 17 criteria for academic quality.

Among national universities, Adelphi University ranked 189th, the highest of any private school on Long Island. The Garden City school dropped 26 spots in the national rankings from last year, but university officials pointed out that U.S. News this year removed two metrics in which the school was particularly strong: first-generation graduation rate and overall graduation rate.

Adelphi has also been recognized by US News in other areas, including as a school with the best value for money, best college for veterans, and a leader in social mobility.

“This is a meaningful recognition of the value and strength of an Adelphi University degree,” said Christopher Storm, Adelphi’s provost and executive vice president, in a statement. “We are also very pleased with the notable improvements in the rankings of our bachelor’s programs in business and nursing and to continue to be recognized for our outstanding accessibility and value.”

Hofstra University was ranked 196th nationally, along with schools like Georgia State University. The university dropped 11 spots from last year, but it did come in at 103rd in the best value schools category, moving up from 118th in that category.

“We are proud that the rankings reflect our status as a university with the best value for money,” Hofstra President Susan Poser said in a statement. “This reflects Hofstra’s renewed focus on supporting students and building innovative academic programs. The progress made by the programs in the DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Frank G. Zarb School of Business and the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the result of the hard work of their deans and faculty. As we prepare to implement a new 10-year strategic plan, I am confident that Hofstra’s best days are yet ahead.”

LIU-Post ranked 359th among over 430 national schools.

In the Regional Colleges (North) rankings, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy took third place – the same as last year – while Farmingdale State College jumped from 16th to 6th. Farmingdale officials also noted that the school was ranked among the best public schools for the best value and the best college for veterans among the Regional Colleges.

“We are incredibly proud to be ranked among the region’s top institutions in several Best College categories,” said President Robert S. Prezant. “This progress is the result of FSC’s tireless commitment to creating an enriching student experience and support, dynamic programs, accessibility, inclusivity, and our growing recognition as one of the best values ​​in higher education.”

Among the regionally (North) ranked universities: New York Institute of Technology ranks 15th, Molloy University ranks 66th, SUNY Old Westbury ranks 101st. St. Joseph’s, with campuses in Patchogue and Brooklyn, ranks 55th.

New York Tech’s ranking rose from 21st place last year.

“New York Tech’s rankings continue to rise, thanks in large part to the outstanding achievements of our faculty, staff and students,” said President Henry C. Foley.

While the U.S. News & World Report rankings remain highly influential, they have come under heavy criticism in recent years for the criteria and data used in the evaluation. While some prestigious professional schools, such as Yale Law, no longer provide data, most schools continue to participate.

In this year’s rankings, Princeton University took first place among national universities, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Joie Tyrrell is a Long Island native and has covered education for Newsday since 1998.