Stony Brook University

Stony Brook University is part of the sprawling State University of New York (SUNY, pronounced "soo-nee") system. Founded in 1957, its campus is situated on more than 1,000 acres on the North Shore of Long Island. It also has a satellite campus in Manhattan, about 60 miles to the west. Stony Brook has roughly 26,000 students, of which about 17,000 are undergraduates. It has a substantial commuter population, although 83% of freshmen live on campus. On the academic front, students can take their pick of over 200 academic programs. The most popular majors include biology, psychology, business management, health science, and computer science. Students tend to be successful: Stony Brook's graduation rate of 74% is about 4% above other schools with similar demographics, according to Money's analysis. PayScale data shows that alumni earn an average salary of $55,200 in their first five years after graduation, which is about 7% more than their peers from other colleges. Stony Brook's mascot is the seawolf. The mythical creature is not only purported to bring good luck, but also stars in a famous cheer. When someone asks, "What's a Seawolf?" students yell their response: "I'm a Seawolf!" Try it at your next SBU game -- and don't forget to wear red.