Colleges in Brooklyn: All 21 Schools

New York is home to many prestigious colleges. If you’re thinking about attending college in New York City, consider studying in Brooklyn, which offers more than 20 colleges and universities to choose from.

Whether you’re looking for a private liberal arts school or a larger public institution, you’re bound to find at least one school that serves your needs in Brooklyn.

Throughout this page, we spotlight several of the most popular colleges in Brooklyn, how much they cost, and we answer some of your top questions about schools in the borough.

Keep reading to see what schools top our list and what they can do for you.

Brooklyn is home to standout public and private colleges and universities. We spotlight three top schools below. Keep reading to see how a Brooklyn college can help you achieve your academic and career goals.

Founded in 1841, Fordham Universityis a private Jesuit institution with a long history of quality academics. While Fordham’s main campus is in the Bronx, its proximity to Brooklyn makes it a great academic option for students in neighboring boroughs and beyond.

Fordham serves about 17,000 students. Some of the most popular undergraduate majors include finance, business, political science, and economics. While Fordham doesn’t crack the top of the most expensive schools in the country, you can expect to pay a higher-than-average cost of $44,000 annually for tuition and fees.

Brooklyn College serves over 17,000 students and is part of the broader City University of New York system. With a nearly 100-year history, this public institution has an expansive campus and is home to a diverse catalog of majors and minors. As a liberal arts institution, Brooklyn College provides a holistic core curriculum that supplements your major requirements.

Some of the most popular majors at Brooklyn College include psychology, business, accounting, and information science. Brooklyn College also teams with SUNY Downstate Medical Center to offer a BA-to-MD academic pathway. The average annual net price is just shy of $6,000.

Established in 1870, Brooklyn’s St. John’s University is a private Catholic institution that serves about 20,000 students each year. Some of the most popular majors at this private Brooklyn school include finance, legal studies, biology, and psychology.

While St. John’s University students pay private school prices, the school’s average annual net price of $26,000 is less than the average cost for private schools in the borough.

We’ve created a complete list of all four-year, non-profit colleges in Brooklyn. You can use the table below to compare data on student population and the average net cost.

The following school data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). All data is from 2021-2022. Note that colleges with a total student enrollment of 500 or fewer were not considered for this list.

Determining how much college costs at a Brooklyn institution can vary depending on your residency status and whether the school is public or private. According to NCES data, the average annual price for public schools is about $8,500, while students at private schools pay more than $28,000.

While your education at a college in Brooklyn requires an investment of both time and money, there’s a long list of resources for students in New York. State, federal, and private financial aid opportunities can help you cut costs and fund your education.

There’s a long list of reasons to study in New York, and Brooklyn is home to some quality schools that come with a relatively affordable price tag. Two of the cheapest colleges in Brooklyn include CUNY Lehman College ($4,974 annual net price) and CUNY Brooklyn College ($5,972 annual net price).

Still, even with affordable tuition rates, the cost of college can get steep. Remember, you have access to financial aid options, like scholarships and grants, that can help you pay for college.

Brooklyn is home to 21 diverse public and private four-year institutions that include St. John’s University and the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

These institutions vary from small private colleges to larger public institutions, as well as highly selective colleges to schools with guaranteed admission.

With nearly 20,000 students, St. John’s University is the biggest college in Brooklyn, followed closely by CUNY Queens College’s 17,000 enrolled students in the neighboring borough.

While Brooklyn is home to some standout colleges in universities, be sure to check out our ranking of the best college towns in New York.