For the first time, Binghamton University is ranked on Forbes’ “Top 25 Public Colleges” list. BU was the only public college or university in New York to make it on the list.
The 2025 edition of the list places the University at No. 24. College rankings are based on a variety of metrics, including alumni salary and hiring after graduation, financial success, academic outcomes for students, retention rate and return on investment for students. The same criteria are used by Forbes to create its list of the top 500 colleges in the United States, where BU placed at No. 68 in its annual ranking.
“As the flagship public university in our region, we are proud of this acknowledgement to continue raising our standards, deepening our impact, and offering transformative experiences through education — resulting in alumni who go out into the world and create positive change,” said University Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Donald Hall in a statement.
The University was ranked No. 4 in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 list of best-value public universities, a rating determined by four indicators: academic quality, the number of full-time students that receive need-based aid, full-time students receiving aid without obligations to repay and the average discount from the school’s baseline price. Forbes also named BU a Top 10 “Public Ivy” in 2024 and was named an R1 “very high research” institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education in 2018, a title held by less than 200 schools nationwide.
The new ranking comes as the University reported receiving a record-breaking 74,725 applicants for the fall 2025 semester, a 15.5 percent increase from last year’s total admissions cycle. Out of 61,200 total first-year undergraduate applicants, over 3,160 freshmen enrolled in classes this semester. There were also 4,575 transfer applications, a 12.1 percent increase from last year, with about 14 percent of enrolled transfer students previously attending SUNY Broome Community College.
“As a transfer student, you hope you’re making the right decision and seeing Binghamton recognized as one of the top 25 schools really affirms that choice,” said Zunairah Masud, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience. “It feels inspiring to be surrounded by students and faculty who are committed to high academic excellence, and it pushes me to hold myself to the same standard.”
Top state universities across the country have faced funding cuts and investigations by the Trump administration. James Ryan, former president of the University of Virginia, stepped down in June amid pressure from the federal government over UVA’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The Trump administration has also withheld $584 million in research grants from the University of California-Los Angeles over allegations of antisemitism and allowing transgender athletes to compete in sports.
Despite expected challenges, Forbes said students attend public universities for their Division I sports, large campuses, wide selection of programs and alumni connections. BU recently broke ground on a $5.6 million track and field complex and continues to host D1 programs that attract student athletes and sports fans. The University also has plans to expand on-campus housing by building a new 350-bed residence hall. Forbes’ Top 25 Public Colleges list recognized BU for its research, specifically in the fields of clean energy and battery technology.
“Being singled out in this elite group highlights the hard work of our faculty, the drive of our students and the support of all our alumni,” said University President Harvey Stenger in a statement to Pipe Dream. “Binghamton University has a truly unique role in advancing opportunity and education in New York state, and we’re proud to be on the forefront.”