Key Takeaways:
- SUNY New Paltz offers nearly 100 undergraduate and more than 50 graduate degree offerings.
- Nearly 42% of classes at SUNY New Paltz have fewer than 20 students.
- SUNY New Paltz’s location in the Hudson Valley provides ample opportunities for hiking, climbing, and camping, making it an ideal choice for someone who enjoys being outdoors.
- State University of New York at New Paltz offers various options for financial aid, including scholarships, grants, and work-study programs.
Challenging, Career-Building Education at SUNY New Paltz
State University of New York at New Paltz appears in our ranking of the 30 Best Colleges for Young Democrats.
Named Kiplinger’s 35th best public value, the State University of New York at New Paltz is an accredited, affordable AASCU member of the Hudson Valley that delivers nearly 100 bachelor’s and 53 master’s degrees plus the University in the High School (UHS) Program with a 15:1 student-teacher ratio. For example, the B.F.A. in Metal builds a 120-credit, NASAD-accredited sequence headed by Dr. David Cavallaro, where Hawks can attend the Ulster Arts Camp, work at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, and utilize the 10,000-square-foot Metal Studio. Chaired by Dr. Shafiul Chowdhury, the 120-credit B.S. in Environmental Geochemical Science offers opportunities to conduct Ashokan Reservoir research, intern with the Phillies Bridge Farm Project, join Outing Club, and travel to Costa Rica.
Featured Programs
Online on Blackboard since Fall 2017, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) has developed a 45-credit, part-time Web curriculum led by Dr. Kristin Backhaus with 500-level courses like Organizational Change for 95 percent job placement at PepsiCo, IBM, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, and others. Directed by Dr. Kathleen Murphy, the M.S. in Music Therapy follows a 48-credit, AMTA-accredited path to produce Licensed Creative Arts Therapists with 1,200 field practicum hours, Shepard Recital Hall performances, and Voices of Unity membership. Other New Paltz degrees include the B.A. in International Relations, B.A. in Astronomy, B.A. in Spanish, B.S. in Finance, M.S. in Computer Science, M.S. in School Counseling, M.F.A. in Photography, and M.S. in Speech-Language Disabilities.
About the State University of New York at New Paltz
The State University of New York at New Paltz originated in 1828 when the New Paltz Classical School was established for local children on North Front Street. Ravaged by fire in 1884, it was sold to the state and transformed into the New Paltz Normal & Training School. In 1938, the Legislature authorized its first four-year baccalaureate degrees. In 1947, the Master of Science in Education became its earliest graduate program. In 1948, the Teachers College at New Paltz was brought into the new SUNY System. In 1960, it was renamed the State University of New York College of Liberal Arts and Science at New Paltz. In 1968, New Paltz created one of the first B.A. in Black Studies programs. During the 1980s, President Alice Chandler formed the Digital Media & Journalism Department. In 1991, its moniker was shortened to the State University of New York at New Paltz.
Endowed for $23 million, the State University of New York at New Paltz now employs 351 full-time faculty teaching 6,692 undergrad and 916 post-grad Hawks from 37 countries online or on the 216-acre Ulster County campus north of Manhattan with 220+ clubs like Ultimate Frisbee. In 2011, SUNY New Paltz won the American School & University Outstanding Design Award. In 2019, New Paltz received the ICLEI Milestone Award for Data-Driven Climate Action. The State University of New York at New Paltz accepted a 2017 Excelsior Merit Award too. The U.S. News & World Report ranked New Paltz the 82nd best fine arts school and 183rd top speech-language pathology program. On Niche, SUNY New Paltz boasts America’s 99th most liberal academics and 187th hardest admission. Forbes picked New Paltz for the 120th best public education. The Sierra Club crowned New Paltz the 137th coolest school.
The State University of New York at New Paltz Accreditation Details
On November 17, 2016, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) accepted a satisfactory Fifth-Year Periodic Review Report from the State University of New York at New Paltz to continue Level III accreditation through the 2020-21 evaluation under President Donald P. Christian, Ph.D., who earned the Eleanor Roosevelt Val Kill Medal. Located 165 miles down Interstate 87 in Philadelphia, this splendid six-state Northeast Region accreditor is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and New York State Education Department (NYSED). The 2019-20 Catalog also lists the following accreditations:
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
- National Association of Schools of Theatre
- American Music Therapy Association
- National Association of Schools of Music
- Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- College Reading and Learning Association
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
State University of New York at New Paltz Application Requirements
Getting into the State University of New York at New Paltz is classified as “very selective” by Peterson’s since 6,092 of the 13,753 Fall 2018 applicants were chosen for 44 percent acceptance. First-year Hawks must complete a college-prep curriculum with all five core subjects. University in the High School (UHS) students can register for up to 11 credits before secondary graduation. The Class of 2022 had an average 3.60 cumulative GPA. The middle 50th percentile had ACT scores of 24-29. Mid-range admitted SAT scores were 1150-1300. The Honors Program requires a minimum 3.5 GPA and 40 hours of community service. Transfers are test-optional for undergrads with 45+ college credits and GPAs above 2.75. Graduate programs require at least an accredited four-year bachelor’s degree and 3.0 or higher GPA. Master of Science in Education majors mandate initial PreK-12 NYS teacher certification. The School of Business requires a minimum 450 GMAT or 300 GRE score. M.S. in Computer Science cohorts need 151 GRE Quant scores and better.
The State University of New York at New Paltz enforces freshman deadlines of November 15th for Early Action and May 1st for Regular Decision. Transfers are welcome until May 1st for Fall or December 1st for Spring starts. The Accelerated 3+4 Medical Program closes on January 15th. The Graduate Studies & Extending Learning Office has varying deadlines though. For instance, the M.S. in Electrical Engineering considers cohorts through March 1st and October 1st. M.S.Ed. in Second Language Education majors must file before April 15th. All Master of Fine Arts materials are due January 15th. Accordingly, complete the SUNY or Common Application online for $50 ($60 if graduate). Forward official transcripts to One Hawk Drive in New Paltz, NY 12561. Submit supplemental documents, such as the test scores, typed essay, recommendation letters, resume, and creative portfolio. Contact (845) 257-3200 or admissions@newpaltz.edu with questions.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2019-20, the State University of New York at New Paltz is charging in-state undergrads $295 per credit or $3,535 each semester. Non-resident bachelor’s tuition is $708 per credit or $8,490 by full-time term. Students cover the $105 activity fee, $151 health center fee, $209 technology fee, and $225 athletic fee each semester. Health insurance premiums are $2,425. Room and board for the 14 dorms like Bouton Hall adds $4,564 and $2,400 respectively. Annual undergrad attendance equals about $25,641 in-state and $35,421 out-of-state. The University in the High School (UHS) program has a full $175 fee. Online bachelor’s courses are $353 per credit. Online graduate degrees bill $565 per credit. On-campus graduate students pay $471 to $963 per credit. The MBA is priced at $750 per credit or $18,000 yearly.
According to the NCES College Navigator, the Office of Financial Aid in Wooster Hall Room 124 links 83 percent of new full-time New Paltz Hawks to median tuition assistance of $9,634 each for $6.63 million combined. University funds include the Professor Frank Kratt Scholarship, Professor Raymond Kurdt Scholarship, Daniel Schackman Memorial Scholarship, Anthony Brigandi Scholarship, Crossing the Finish Line Scholarship, Elizabeth Mousseau Fite Memorial Scholarship, David Lavallee Student Travel Grant, Professor Dan Swartz Scholarship, Francis Cahill Scholarship, and Barbara Geider Scholarship. The Sojourner Truth Scholarship gifts $2,000 annually to matriculated freshmen meeting the minimum 1200 SAT score or 90 average. The $5,000 Robert & Luz Avila Kyncl Scholarship has a March 31st deadline for STEM majors with GPAs above 2.75 who plan summer research projects. Federal programs, such as the Pell Grant and Teach Grant, require FAFSA applications coded 002846. New Yorkers also qualify for the Excelsior Scholarship, Tuition Assistance Program, Part-Time TAP, Carey Gabay Scholarship, and more.
Search through six selective schools with 110+ diverse degrees placed 418th overall by The Wall Street Journal on the State University of New York at New Paltz website.