New York University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
New York, New York · Private nonprofit · Most selective · CDS 2025-2026
New York University is a private nonprofit university in New York, New York that admits about 9% of applicants, making it a most selective school. The average family pays about $35,035 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Computer and Information Sciences, General, Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities and Economics, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 88% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 5.2 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
New York University is a private institution located in New York, New York and one of the most selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, New York University admits fewer than 10% of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 9%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1527 and an ACT composite around 34. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $35,035 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether New York University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What parents should know about New York University right now
New York University, chartered by the New York State Legislature in 1831 and founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin, is a private research university whose main campus surrounds Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, with the Tandon School of Engineering in Brooklyn and graduate schools across Manhattan. NYU is a member of the Association of American Universities and operates portal campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai plus more than a dozen global academic centers, giving undergraduates structured study-away options that few peers offer. Distinctive academic strengths include the Stern School of Business, the Tisch School of the Arts, the Steinhardt School for media and education, and the Courant Institute in mathematics and computer science. For parents, the most important recent development is NYU's continued investment in financial aid: in 2023 the university announced expansions through the Lehman Scholars and AccessNYU programs, and in 2024 it touted record-high aid budgets with admitted-student family income tiers receiving substantially increased grant packages. Application strategy notes worth flagging for families include NYU's Early Decision I and Early Decision II rounds, both binding, and its continued test-flexible policy that accepts SAT, ACT, three AP exams, three IB Higher Level scores, or the IB Diploma. Acceptance rates have continued to fall in recent cycles as application volume rises, so parents should help students plan a balanced list.
What GPA does my child need for New York University?
Successful applicants to New York University typically present unweighted GPAs at or near 4.0 with the most rigorous course load their school offers, including multiple AP, IB, or dual-enrollment courses. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does New York University weight in admissions?
New York University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Standardized test scores
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • First generation status
- • Geographical residence
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Level of applicant's interest
- • Class rank
- • Interview
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
SAT and ACT scores New York University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 760–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 735. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 33–35. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.
| 25th percentile | 1480 |
| 50th percentile | 1520 |
| 75th percentile | 1550 |
| % submitting SAT | 27% |
| 25th percentile | 34 |
| 50th percentile | 35 |
| 75th percentile | 35 |
| % submitting ACT | 10% |
- • Tests required: Standardized test scores are part of the standard application package.
- • Policy detail: Required
How much does New York University actually cost?
Published tuition is $60,438 for in-state students and $60,438 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $22,786 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $35,035 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 19% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | — |
| Room and board | — |
| Average net price (after aid) | $35,035 |
| Application fee | $100 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for New York University
| Regular deadline | 1/5 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | 11/1 |
Will my child graduate from New York University?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at New York University
The most popular undergraduate programs at New York University, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Computer and Information Sciences, General, Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities and Economics. Across all programs, New York University confers roughly 3,888 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Computer and Information Sciences, General program report a median income of about $149,736 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 604 | $149,736 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 549 | $68,008 |
| Economics | 541 | $105,120 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 530 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 431 | $119,854 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 416 | $31,599 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 410 | $69,066 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 407 | $56,749 |
Is New York University safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), New York University disclosed 150 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 5.2 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 52 violent offenses and 37 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
Other colleges in New York parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like New York University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like New York University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about New York University
What GPA do I need for New York University?
Successful applicants to New York University typically present unweighted GPAs at or near 4.0 with the most rigorous course load their school offers, including multiple AP, IB, or dual-enrollment courses.
What SAT or ACT score does New York University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 760–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 735. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 33–35.
How much does New York University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at New York University after grants and scholarships is $35,035 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is New York University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, New York University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at New York University?
New York University accepts about 9% of applicants out of roughly 114,125 who apply each year. That makes it a most selective school.
Is New York University test-optional?
No. New York University requires SAT or ACT scores as part of a standard application.
What is the graduation rate at New York University?
About 88% of students at New York University graduate within six years. 96% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does New York University look for in applicants?
New York University rates course rigor, GPA, the application essay and recommendations as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is New York University a public or private school, and where is it located?
New York University is a private nonprofit institution located in New York, New York.
What are the most popular majors at New York University?
The largest undergraduate majors at New York University by annual graduates are Computer and Information Sciences, General, Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities and Economics. The school awards about 3,888 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is New York University safe? What is its campus crime rate?
New York University reported 150 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 5.2 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
Data sourced from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by New York University, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.