New rankings see SUNY Cortland earn place among state, national elite

U.S. News, Niche.com among those that recognized the university.

Cortland, NY (10/02/2025) — SUNY Cortland made a place for itself yet again among highly regarded schools in the annual U.S. News and World Report rankings.

The university climbed several spots from last year, establishing Cortland on an upward trend among some of the best educational opportunities in the region and country.

Rankings include:

#13 in Top Public Universities for Regional Universities North.

Tied for #33 among all schools in the Regional Universities North category.

Last year, Cortland was 49th in Regional Universities North and 17th among Top Public Universities.

Methodology for U.S. News rankings are made in part from student reviews, graduation outcomes, faculty resources, financial resources and data from the National Science Foundation and Department of Education.

The new rankings followed recognition from Niche.com that saw SUNY Cortland earn national prominence at #23 in Best Colleges for Sport Management in the U.S.; #2 for Best College Athletics in New York; and #66 for Best College Athletics in the U.S - all in the top 5%.

Among other Niche honors Cortland placed in the to near the top 100 for Best Colleges for Kinesiology and Physical Therapy in America (101) and Best Colleges for Education in America (103).

Cortland also was ranked #72 in the country out of 585 in the nonprofit media company Washington Monthly's Master's University Rankings - a finish good for a national place in the top 15%.

"Recognition like this highlights the extraordinary education SUNY Cortland delivers, from the classroom to our larger campus community," President Erik J. Bitterbaum said. "These rankings also are a testament to the life-changing faculty members who teach and mentor our students across exceptional programs in the arts and sciences, education and professional studies. We're very proud to be included again among New York's top medium-sized public universities."

For more on SUNY Cortland's accomplishments past and present, explore the school's Accolades page.

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SUNY Cortland is one of New York's top public universities, offering a high-value education spanning close to 70 undergraduate majors in diverse fields that include education, business economics, exercise science, sport management and biological sciences. This mid-sized institution, located in the geographic heart of New York state, provides a high quality of student life, outstanding faculty and extensive out-of-classroom educational experiences. Since 1868, it has offered students the educational experiences they need to turn their dreams into careers. Learn more at Cortland.edu.