New York Private Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score

Below is a list of the 54 private colleges in New York with the highest ACT Score for incoming freshmen. Columbia University in the City of New York leads the list with an average ACT Score of 34. Alternatively, check out the SAT version of these rankings.

The ACT is a standardized test used by colleges to evaluate applicants. It is not a guarantee of success in college, but it is a strong indicator of academic potential.

List of New York Private Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score
College	Average ACT Score
Columbia University in the City of New York New York, New York	34
Cornell University Ithaca, New York	34
Hamilton College Clinton, New York	34
New York University New York, New York	34
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, New York	34
Barnard College New York, New York	33
Colgate University Hamilton, New York	33
Webb Institute Glen Cove, New York	33
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, New York	32
University of Rochester Rochester, New York	32
Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, New York	32
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art New York, New York	31
Fordham University Bronx, New York	31
Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, New York	31
St Lawrence University Canton, New York	31
Union College Schenectady, New York	31
Yeshiva University New York, New York	31
Bard College Annandale-On-Hudson, New York	30

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This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: August 2026

Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.