About SUNY Geneseo

Founded in 1871, SUNY Geneseo is a distinctive public liberal arts honors college with a strong tradition of academic excellence. Students are trained to think critically, communicate effectively, and consider multiple perspectives to solve challenging problems. Geneseo's high-performing students engage with exceptional faculty and equally driven peers through research, co-curricular, and integrated learning opportunities.

Geneseo is also known for its welcoming atmosphere and reputation for producing successful alumni. Its supportive, inclusive community cultivates creativity, engagement, and discovery.

Located on 220 acres in the historic Village of Geneseo and a short drive from Rochester and Buffalo, the Geneseo campus embodies the classic aesthetic of Northeastern colleges with brick walkways, shade trees, and ivy-draped buildings.

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Student Profile

2023 Incoming Class:

Applications: 13,475
Percent Admitted: 63.5% (8,556)

Total Incoming Students: 1,193
Undergraduate: 982
Transfer: 176
Graduate: 35
Average GPA (first-time students): 93.6%

students

150+ Programs of Study

61 undergraduate degree programs

67 interdisciplinary minors

graduate programs in accounting, education, and history

There's No Place Like Geneseo

"Geneseo had every bit a role in who I am and where I am now. Wonderfully dedicated and patient faculty showed me that I could pursue whatever I was interested in -- and with their help and guidance, I did just that!"

- Laura Heimes, internationally acclaimed soprano and recording artist, Class of '90

Building Real-World Skills

From survey of 2023 SUNY Geneseo graduates

32% completed a directed study for credit

51% completed (or have in progress) a research project with a faculty member

71% completed (or have in progress) an internship or field experience

Chemistry

Outcomes

As of six-months post-graduation (First Destination Survey, 2022)

48.9% working full-time or part-time

36.4% applied or accepted into graduate school or additional educational programs

0.8% volunteering

students hugging

Fall 2023 Student Body

3,957 undergraduate 60 graduate

Geneseo's 3,957 students are 14.1% multicultural

and 22.9% of all undergraduates are first-generation college students

97.5% of undergraduates are from NYS, 2.5% are out of state or international

students in library

Honor Societies

Geneseo is one of only 286 four-year colleges in the nation to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and most prestigious honor society in the United States

Retention and Graduation

First-year Retention Rate of 83.8% (National average: 75.6%)

Six-year Graduation Rate of 74% (National average: 60.9%)

4-year graduation rate is number 11 nationally across public institutions, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education

Faculty and Instruction (Fall 2022)

90.7% of faculty hold a PhD or other terminal degree

1:18 faculty to student ratio

23 median class size

outdoor instruction

Science and Technology

SUNY Geneseo's $53 million Integrated Science Center includes the only Pelletron particle accelerator in Western New York.

physics student

The College is also among the nation’s top producers of bachelor’s degrees in physics, according to the American Institute of Physics.

Among primarily undergraduate institutions, SUNY Geneseo ranks in the top 10 nationally in the number of alumni with doctorates in STEM fields.

Athletics

SUNY Geneseo is known both for its stellar academic programs and its prestigious athletic programs as well. The Knights have won seven State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Commissioner's Cups and a total of 57 SUNYAC Championships since the Fall of 2016.

SUNY Geneseo student-athletes pride themselves on achieving at the highest levels, both in competition and in the classroom.

More About Athletics

How Geneseo Ranks

#1 Best Undergraduate Teaching

#4 Top Public Schools (Regional North)

#5 Most Innovative Schools (Regional North)

#13 Best Regional Universities (North)

- U.S. News & World Report (2025 ranking)

2025 Fiske Guide - "Geneseo is a preferred option for New Yorkers who want the feel of a private liberal arts college at a public school price. It is similar in scale to Mary Washington and William & Mary in Virginia...offers business and education in addition to the liberal arts and sciences. Less than 5 percent of the students come from outside New York."

One of the "nation's best institutions for undergraduate education."

- 2024 Princeton Review College Guide

SUNY Geneseo attracts students searching for a "quality education at an affordable price,” and undergraduate students describe "challenging but rewarding" courses taught by faculty who are "here to teach and prepare students for the real world."

- Summarized from the Princeton Review's 2024 list of America's Best Value Colleges

Featured in The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges 2024 Edition as one of the nation's most environmentally responsible colleges

#1 among more than 600 master's universities in the nation for contributions to the public good - Washington Monthly Magazine

student research

Top Producer of U.S. Student Fulbright Awards - The State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

See more Geneseo rankings

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Discover why there's no place like Geneseo.

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See for Yourself

Tours of the Geneseo campus are available every weekday throughout the year and on most Saturdays. To sign up for a tour, register online through the link below or call the Admissions Office at (866) 245-5211.

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