New York Tech Advances in National College Rankings

New York Institute of Technology’s surge in national college rankings showcases its sustained focus on providing outstanding academic and cocurricular experiences to its students while helping them achieve successful outcomes.

In the U.S. News & World Report 2021 rankings of top universities in the North, New York Tech moved up eight spots from No. 42 to No. 34. And, after jumping 130 spots last year, it also moved up another two places to No. 264 this year in the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education (WSJ/THE) rankings of nearly 800 universities nationwide. Both lists were released last month.

“Rankings in and of themselves are not a goal or objective, but they do show that our laser focus on the student experience—including strategic initiatives to enhance teaching and learning, curriculum linkage to career outcomes and experiential opportunities, and enhancements to engagement, advisement, student services, and teaching innovation—has had a direct impact on retention and degree completion,” noted New York Tech President Hank Foley, Ph.D. 

“The university is great at figuring out where the pressure points are that we should be paying attention to,” said Tiffani Blake, assistant provost for Student Engagement and Development. “We’re focusing on our key performance indicators [KPIs]… and how can we continue to enhance what we’re offering to our students to keep their level of satisfaction as high as possible.” 

New York Tech, which has campuses in Old Westbury and New York City, attributed its U.S. News ranking to significant improvements in freshmen retention and graduation rates, two KPIs that reflect student success. Among regional universities in the North, New York Tech was ranked No. 2 for campus ethnic diversity and No. 15 among best colleges for veterans. It was also listed among the best-value schools and as a top performer in social mobility. In the U.S. News national rankings, New York Tech’s undergraduate engineering program came in at No. 46 and computer science undergraduate program at No. 230.

As for the WSJ/THE rankings, New York Tech placed at No. 33 out of 79 universities in New York State and No. 101 out of 258 universities in the Northeast. The rankings were based on 15 key indicators in four areas: outcomes, resources, engagement, and environment. New York Tech was No. 8 nationwide among top schools for environment, which measures inclusion, diversity, and international student representation. High marks in the resources area demonstrated ongoing strengths in financial resources and faculty per student, while salaries of New York Tech graduates continue to rank well vs. competitors. 

“Outcomes of the student success initiatives we’ve undertaken thus far are beginning to be reflected in our rankings, said Junius Gonzales, M.D., M.B.A., provost and vice president for academic affairs. “We know that active engagement with and participation by students in remote learning environments are critical, as well, and we’re developing innovative approaches for our new, post-COVID normal.”

Among the ways New York Tech ensures its students succeed is through its Achieving Collegiate Excellence (ACE) program, piloted in 2019, which fosters collaboration with freshmen who may be at risk of losing scholarships due to academic performance. The program provides mentoring and academic support while helping students figure out how to maintain their scholarship. Other efforts have included the Bear Bytes initiative to combat food insecurity and the Students First webinar series, which provided students access to information related to COVID-19 and the campuses’ fall reopening directly from university leaders.

“We’re enrolling students to prepare them for careers,” Blake said. “Every step we take, whether it’s an opportunity or experience inside or outside the classroom, our goal is to ensure we orient our students to excel academically, but also prepare them for how they should perform when they begin their careers. We’re always thinking about that end goal, which is to graduate career-related professionals ready for occupations that they want to pursue.” 

About New York Institute of Technology

New York Institute of Technology offers more than 90 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs in more than 50 fields of study, including computer science, data, and cybersecurity; biology and biomedical studies; architecture and design; engineering; health professions and medicine; IT and digital technologies; management; communications and marketing; education and counseling; and energy and sustainability. A nonprofit, independent, private, and nonsectarian institute of higher education, it welcomes more than 9,000 students worldwide. Nearly 107,000 alumni comprise an engaged network of doers, makers, and innovators prepared to change the world, solve 21st-century challenges, and reinvent the future. Prospective students can take advantage of priority deadlines and find out about New York Tech’s test-optional policy, tuition freeze for 2021-2022, and virtual admissions events at nyit.edu.