What makes SUNY Binghamton a 'public Ivy'?

Binghamton University has long been a sought-after school among New Yorkers, but in recent years it has become increasingly well-known outside the state as a "public Ivy" — a state-run alternative to the vaunted Ivy League.

The State University of New York (SUNY) school, about 200 miles northwest of Long Island, secured a place on Forbes magazine's list of 10 public and 10 private "New Ivies" in 2024, alongside the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia. And in the latest U.S. News & World Report college rankings, the school placed 32nd among top public schools, 35th among best value schools and 73rd among national universities, public and private — up 10 places from four years earlier. 

In January, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that Binghamton had received its largest-ever donation, a $30 million gift from Tom Secunda, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Binghamton and co-founded Bloomberg LP, along with $25 million in state research funding to establish the Center for AI Responsibility and Research. The center was described by state officials as the first independent AI research center at an American public university, focused on AI safety and transparency.

Binghamton also holds the top R1 research designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, indicating "very high" levels of research activity and funding. The school reported spending $87.3 million on research in 2024-25, up 37% from two years earlier.

"One of the most exciting aspects of the university is the growth in research, especially accelerating over the past 10 years," Binghamton president Anne D’Alleva said in an interview.

The research investments include the AI center and an energy storage research program led by Nobel Prize winner M. Stanley Whittingham, a chemistry professor at Binghamton, as well as research on quantum and microelectronics and in the social sciences, humanities and the arts, said D’Alleva, who holds a doctorate in art history from Columbia University.

Acceptance rate getting tighter

As Binghamton — known simply as "Bing" to students — has risen in status, the school has become more selective.

For the fall 2026 first-year class, Binghamton accepted about 40% of applicants, down from 44% in fall 2021, and it received 60,744 applications, a 54% spike from the 39,533 who applied for 2021 admissions, the university reported.

Like others in the 64-campus SUNY network, Binghamton does not require students to submit their SAT or ACT scores. SUNY schools dropped the requirement in 2020 as a temporary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic, then the SUNY Board of Trustees extended the test-optional policy indefinitely in 2023. Test-optional policies typically lead to increases in applications, educational researchers have found.

Its first-year class in fall 2025 had an average GPA of 96 and average SAT score of 1417, the most recent available figures show. The top 3% of test-takers earn a score of 1410 or higher, according to the College Board.

The students earning acceptance to Binghamton and Stony Brook University are among "the highest achieving students on Long Island," said Jessica Kane, a college and career counselor at Uniondale High School. For teachers and parents who graduated from college 20 or more years ago, she said, "I don't think that they realize how incredibly competitive it is. ... There is this huge generational gap."

One of the first-year students starting this fall was Uniondale High School graduate Varsha Ramrookum.

With a GPA of 95.82 and a long list of leadership, research and arts activities, Ramrookum knew she was aiming for a top college when she applied. The teen said she was thrilled to be accepted into Binghamton’s School of Management, where she is studying for a bachelor of science in business administration.

"I'm getting an education in one of the best business schools in the state," Ramrookum said. "Their School of Management is so highly recognized for the internships that they give, and the opportunities that are given to students. ... It's an opportunity that gives you the best of both worlds, giving you that public college experience while keeping you rigorous and up to par with your work."

Why Binghamton appeals to Long Islanders

Compared with private institutions, SUNY schools tend to offer a wider array of majors as well as five-year programs that include a graduate degree, said Veronica Velez, a counselor at Hicksville High School. Binghamton and Stony Brook both offer dozens of accelerated master’s degree programs. For those reasons as well as cost considerations, the schools are "definitely now up there with an NYU and Columbia," she said.

Binghamton draws about one-quarter of its student body from Long Island, according to the school, though in recent years it has attracted a growing number of students from outside New York. In fall 2025, 15.7% of first-year students came from other states, up from 6% a decade earlier, university statistics show.

For some Long Island students, "cost is definitely a big factor" in deciding to attend Binghamton over other options, said Andy Lockwood, co-founder of Lockwood College Prep in Glenwood Landing. "If they're going to major in finance, and you can go to Binghamton for $35,000 a year, as opposed to Boston College for $100,000 a year, I think a lot of people are looking at that return on investment."

Binghamton’s total cost of attendance for the 2026-27 school year will be $32,746, including tuition, fees, housing, food and other expenses, according to the school. Boston College estimates students will spend $97,014 on tuition, fees, housing and food, plus several thousand more for other expenses. Those estimates do not account for financial aid.

Binghamton does not have a NCAA Division I football team, and for some students, that is an essential part of the college experience, Lockwood said.

But, he said, for "the people who are not looking for that, and they see the return on investment, I think they lean toward a Binghamton."