About State University of New York at New Paltz

Founded in 1828, State University of New York at New Paltz. is a Public college. Located in New York, which is a city setting in New York, the campus itself is Suburban. The campus is home to 6,717 full time undergraduate students, and 911 full time graduate students.

The State University of New York at New Paltz Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 15:1. There are 372 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at State University of New York at New Paltz include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate42%
Application Deadline
Application Fee50
SAT Range1010-1200
ACT Range23-27

Admissions at SUNY-New Paltz are considered More Selective, with ,50% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 8 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

98% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 76% were in the top quarter, and 26% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE Reviews

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at State University of New York at New Paltz.

3%
“We”re apathetic”
0%
“We know about current events and vote”
35%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
62%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
3%
“We save it for the classroom”
19%
“Sometimes, but not often”
62%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
16%
“All the time, including weekends”
0%
“I”m always terrified”
3%
“I only go out in groups”
43%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
54%
“I feel extremely safe”
66%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
31%
“We bought the gear”
3%
“We live for the big game”
0%
“It”s not really our thing”
5%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
35%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
59%
“We”re a very artistic group”
0%
“Haven”t met them”
3%
“Available in class”
73%
“They keep regular office hours”
24%
“They”re always available”
3%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
54%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
43%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
0%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
0%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
32%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
32%
“We only party on weekends”
35%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
6%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
28%
“There might be people who do”
61%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
6%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
3%
“We”re apathetic”
0%
“We know about current events and vote”
35%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
62%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
3%
“We save it for the classroom”
19%
“Sometimes, but not often”
62%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
16%
“All the time, including weekends”
0%
“I”m always terrified”
3%
“I only go out in groups”
43%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
54%
“I feel extremely safe”
66%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
31%
“We bought the gear”
3%
“We live for the big game”
0%
“It”s not really our thing”
5%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
35%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
59%
“We”re a very artistic group”
0%
“Haven”t met them”
3%
“Available in class”
73%
“They keep regular office hours”
24%
“They”re always available”
3%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
54%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
43%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
0%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
0%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
32%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
32%
“We only party on weekends”
35%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
6%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
28%
“There might be people who do”
61%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
6%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
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  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    114 Students rated on-campus housing 3.6 stars. 10 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    93 Students rated off-campus housing 3.2 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    124 Students rated campus food 3 stars. 7 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    132 Students rated campus facilities 4.1 stars. 31 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    132 Students rated class size 4.3 stars. 45 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    132 Students rated school activities 4.1 stars. 38 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    133 Students rated local services 4.1 stars. 41 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    132 Students rated academics 4.2 stars. 42 % gave the school a 5.0.

State University of New York at New Paltz REVIEWS

What's your overall opinion of State University of New York at New Paltz?

38 Students rated State University of New York at New Paltz

Saaniya - 12/28/2023

The school is great academically and has multiple opportunities for students. There are a few issues and flaws too the system like there is everywhere and racism here and there if i’m being one hundred percent honest. But overall only you can create your own experience.

Olivia - 07/26/2023

Overall, SUNY New Paltz is a pretty good college. What I love most about the school are the professors and the location. All the professors that I've had for my major have been amazing, supportive, and extremely insightful. I've. had a few poor professors, but I would assume that's the case at any college. The location is also gorgeous. If you love nature and small artsy towns, this is the place for you. There's multiple hiking locations, the mountains are beautiful, the campus is stunning, and the shops around town are full of cute items. It is very much a hippie town, with lots of live music and crystals/ jewelry/ clothes , etc. Some negatives would include the dorms and the food in the dining halls. The dorms vary with how updated they are, and you have to be really lucky to get one of the good dorms. But the bad dorms are bad. The shower heads in the bathrooms sting your back as the water feels so harsh, the water goes from freezing cold to burning hot as your showering, the walls are peeled, the furniture is old, the lighting is depressing, etc. And the food in the dining hall is objectively bad. I would say almost every person that attends the school would say so. The campus is quite empty during the week at night, and most kids go home on the weekends. There is definitely a party scene , but it's not crazy. The bars P&G's, McGuilicuddys, and Snugs are usually full. There are a good amount of house shows and parties. It's mostly the same people who go out every time, so you won't meet too many new faces if you're going out a decent amount. Overall, SUNY New Paltz is a pretty good school. If you like that small town, hippie, nature vibe then you'll probably like it here. Just beware of the forming situation and the food on campus.

Isabel - 01/24/2020

I am an alumnus who graduated in 2016. I would probably give SUNY NP 3.5/5 stars if I could. The thing about this school is that there are A LOT of pros and cons. The Pros: .Location-The location is pretty great (not perfect). New Paltz is in the beautiful, scenic Mid-Hudson Valley and only about 2 hours away from NYC. There are buses that run to and from NYC daily. The town is pretty cute, there's good restaurants, bars, stores, etc. Nature is everywhere, but if you're a big-city person then living in New Paltz may not be ideal. It CAN get a bit mundane-it's not such a big town and frequenting the same 4-5 bars gets boring at times. Academics-I really feel like I learned a lot at this school. The professors are super passionate about what they are teaching and have awareness of issues in society, for the most part. They are almost always there to help (except in a few cases), even outside of office hours. Class sizes are small which I also appreciate. There are different internship/study abroad opportunities here which is great. Social Life-I would say this is kind of a pro and con-I had very mixed experiences here. Some of my current best friends attended SUNY NP with me, so there are some great people. Despite this, it's got a very cliquey vibe and people tend to be very judgy about nonsense. I'm very left-leaning but if I were a conservative I wouldn't even think about attending this school, you probably will get screamed at or harshly judged or schooled-people care too much! They try to come off as super chill when they're just a hot mess! The worst part is even the extracurricular clubs are super cliquey to the point of outright exclusion. Another issue is that this school is super segregated-it's basically something like this: White LI/Westchester girls and bros Mostly white hipsters from around NY Everyone else...... Night Life: I liked the nightlife here, at least when I was a student. There's places to go dancing, places to relax, live music, etc. The options are a bit limited because it's a small town. Not too unsafe either although I wouldn't recommend going out alone. The Gym: The gym was amazing-great facilities and group classes! The CONS 1. The GOD AWFUL campus food: It's terrible, lowest quality food! Made me permanently sick to my stomach, causes weight gain. 2. On & off campus housing: Dorms are falling apart, have asbestos, not properly maintained. Off campus housing is a bit better but a lot of shady slumlords who overcharge. 3. Weather-it's Upstate NY and way too cold!!!!!!! 4. School Spirit-Yeah, there really isn't much of that but I didn't care.

Hazel - 11/27/2019

I would say overall, I've had a great time at New Paltz. I've met some amazing people who accept me for who I am. Pros: Beautiful small town, endless hiking destinations, a short drive from some cute small towns and relatively close to Albany and NYC, overall great professors, lots of nature on campus, great parties, lots of options for those who don't partake in drinking and smoking. Cons: The dorms are moldy and neglected, no option to live alone without having a medical reason or paying double, no apartment style housing, campus spirit is non existant, food is TERRIBLE, life is MISERABLE for those with dietary restrictions, the academic buildings are gross (except for the new ones), did I mention the food is overpriced, and will send you straight to the bathroom? People who would not like New Paltz: Someone who is conservative, loves a school that's got a vibrant athletic life, needs a town with more than 5 bars, someone who is homophobic. If you are physically disabled, you may find yourself unable to participate in a lot of what New Paltz has to offer. New Paltz is an old town, and a lot of the buildings were built long ago. Therefore, a lot of places in town are inaccessible to someone with disabilities. People are super understanding of those with different needs and will go out of their way to make you feel comfortable in whatever way they can (the students, not res life. Res life doesn't care about anyone but the dollar bill). Also, the town itself is a hill, which may be difficult as well. So that's something to look into if you are considering New Paltz. If you have any dietary restrictions, I would highly recommend not living on campus. There is no way to opt out of the meal plan. Those serving the food have no idea what's in it, which is a nightmare. They claim to accommodate, but this is a lie. They have this little room called "My Zone" but it's pathetic. New food is rarely stocked and often the same food is served over and over. If your restriction severely limit your options, they will just tell you to move off campus. Lastly, if you are looking for a party school, this is not the place for you. Yes, there are parties but people here tend to be studious so parties are mainly on the weekends. If you partake in smoking, you'll smell skunk just about everywhere. It certainly does live up to the reputation of a hippie school, which personally I love! There's protests just about every other day. Protests are so frequent that I saw someone carrying a poster board, wondered what they were protesting, got closer only to realize it was for a class. If you are seriously considering New Paltz, watch Christian gets the skinny on the Paltz on youtube. It's old, but it's still accurate (and hilarious). Go Hawks!!

State University of New York at New Paltz FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at State University of New York at New Paltz?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for State University of New York at New Paltz is 42%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020, _____ students were offered admission.

  2. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a high school senior I would have a lot of useful information to share. As a senior in high school I wanted to attend a small private college as a chemistry and biology major. As a freshman in college I did just that. My advice to myself would be to take more time in my decision of which school to attend. I would also tell myself to consider factors such as possibly changing my major, distance from home, and the availability of a wide range of classes. Luckily for me I had the ability and support to transfer colleges and I found my fit at SUNY New Paltz as a psychology major. I would not change my college experience, but being more prepared for the freedom of what I could choose to learn about would be something I would of liked to be more open to during my college search during high school. I would tell myself to be open to the possibility that I have not yet discovered all the passions I have in life just yet.

    Read all 122 answers

  3. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    New Paltz is a unique learning nitch, nessled in the beautiful Hudson River Valley, where passionate, intelligent, open-minded people come to accomplish goals and to expand upon themselves.

    Read all 34 answers

  4. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    Repitition of the same kind of food

    Read all 32 answers

  5. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    If you are interested in a school where you can never possibly know all the students, then New Paltz isn't the place for you. If you aren't passionate about what you're studying or what you want to become (or driven to find that passion), it's probably not a great fit. But it really is the right choice for a very wide variety of people.

    Read all 21 answers

  6. What kind of person should attend this school?

    A student who wants to be in small personal classes with others who share their interests should attend this school. A student who enjoys a small close-knit community campus would enjoy being here. Also any student who would like to be part of a student body that is passionate about community, rights, education, and whatever else is important to them then this school would be the perfect place to continue their education.

    Read all 21 answers

  7. What's unique about your campus?

    The general attitude of the student body! Students are kind and very accepting, no matter your race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation. As long as you want to be here, you are welcomed.

    Read all 21 answers

  8. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    New Paltz is in a great location. For people who are used to city life, New Paltz is a big change. It is located in the middle of mountains and neighboring farmland. Even with its very rural environment, New Paltz is very close to the city of Poughkeepsie, and in the middle of Albany and New York City. The people who go to SUNY New Paltz are also very unique; everything from their clothing to their values and ideals. These are people who really want to make a difference and are not afraid of what other people think of them.

    Read all 20 answers

  9. Describe the students at your school.

    My classes were a mix of serious students, people there for the credits/good grade and people going for nap time.

    Read all 19 answers

  10. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    The community feeling of New Paltz. We are one big family, students and professors alike.

    Read all 18 answers

  11. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    SUNY New Paltz is know as one of the best small state schools out there and it deserves that reputation.

    Read all 16 answers

  12. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    Classes that we need to graduate on time fill up too quickly and most of our advisors have no idea what they are talking about

    Read all 13 answers

  13. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    I wish I knew that it was going to be so hard to afford college. Each year the tuition is going up and it is making it very impossible for students like myself to keep going. I have worked hard enough to graduate a semester earlier than I should just so I could try and save myself some money and get a job.

    Read all 12 answers

  14. What are the academics like at your school?

    Professors definitely know your name and are eager to help when you need. Small classes give you lots of individual attention. There are a good number of liberal arts requirements that give you a well rounded education and the ability to check out lots of different majors that the school offers and explore interests other than just your major. While I wouldn't call the student body "intellectual" most students had to have an A average to get in here so they are a pretty bright group.

    Read all 5 answers

  15. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    Since New Paltz was named Best Small State School by Newsweek it has taken off big time. The amount of applications and students attending has soared. Lots of really smart kids who are aware of what a gem this school is, with it's great location - 1 1/2 hours drive to NYC, great college town, artsy and creative atmosphere and beatiful mountain surroundings. The size is perfect at 6,000 undergrads. Small class size and supportive administration make for a great school experience.

    Read all 4 answers

  16. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    Stereotype is every where we go. I would be lying if I said that there isn't any stereotype I my school. We all stereotype each other we do it without knowing it sometimes. Some stereotype we have in school here is that the jock all stick together just like the frats too. All the groups stick together and support each other. We think that the jocks are not smart. We think that the frats are players, and they try to mess with the freshman's minds.

    Read all 4 answers

  17. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    The clubs and organizations are popular. It's easy to meet people since it's a close college community. Frats and sororities exist but are not as popular as most other college campuses. There are 3 bars in town that are popular with the students. They have parties and theme nights to attract crowds and offer discounts on drinks. The bars are 21+ so if you don't have an ID your out of luck. There is a lot of other things to do on campus and off though. The schools has concerts, speakers, comedy nights, game nights. A Movie theater in town and in nearby Poughkeepsie and lots of restaurants, coffee houses, local concerts, art galleries, always stuff to do. If you are an outdoors type lots to do in the surrounding area. The outtings club has camping, white water rafting and other adventure trips. The wellness center has hiking, kayaking, camping, rock climbing trips. There's a rock climbing club. There are festivals, crafts fairs, art exhibits, all kinds of local events. The town gets really packed on weekends in the nicer weather with tourists and outdoor rec types who love the area.

    Read all 2 answers

  18. Where is the best place to get work done on campus?

    I personally find it easy to get work done in my dorm room. On the other hand my roommate prefers the library and computer labs. Others also enjoy sitting on a bench outside or getting work in a lounge. We have options.The best place to study and get work done varies from person to person but I can assure that everyone finds their comfort spots quickly.

    Read all 1 answers

  19. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    That SUNY New Paltz is only for artsy, hippie types who are into drugs, piercings and tattoos.

    Read all 1 answers

  20. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    No! While you can find some pretty crazy offbeat types, the majority of students are fun, friendly, normal and down to earth.

    Read all 1 answers

  21. Describe the dorms.

    There are thirteen coed residence halls on the New Paltz campus.Students to choose from a variety of living options, including contract study, corridor or suite style, or special interest group housing. Each residence hall offers a number of student free oriented facilities and services including a laundry room, computer terminals, a main meeting lounge for hall government meetings and activities, and a study lounge. Each hall also has at least one television lounge, a kitchenette area and microwaves.

    Read all 1 answers

Student Body

Students

62%

female

38%

male

6,717

Total Undergrad Enrollment

911

Total Grad Students

3%

Out-Of-State

96%

In-State

1%

International

Organizations

160

Student Organizations

10

Fraternities

15

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

38%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
6%
% Black or African-American
6%
% Hispanic/Latino
18%
% White or Caucasian
63%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

90% of students attending State University of New York at New Paltz receive some sort of financial aid. 33% were awarded federal grants.60%received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$17,604

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$1,600

Books and Supplies

$12,000

Room and Board

31,204

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$9,254
$30 - $48K
$11,992
$48 - $75K
$18,547
$75 - $110K
$21,556
$110K & UP
$22,193

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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