Stony Brook University is part of the sprawling State University of New York system. Founded in 1957, its campus is situated on more than 1,000 acres on the North Shore of Long Island. There's a train station immediately adjacent to campus for easy access to Manhattan.
Stony Brook has roughly 27,600 students, of which about 18,500 are undergraduates. It has a substantial commuter population, although some 10,000 students live on campus.
On the academic front, students can take their pick of over 200 academic programs. Popular majors include psychology, biology, health sciences and business. Students underrepresented in STEM fields can check out the new Simon STEM Scholars Program, launched in 2023. Stony Brook students tend to be successful: The school’s graduation rate is 77%, and the median salary four years after graduation is more than $80,000.
Its beautiful Charles B. Wang Center, with gardens on the inside and outside of the building, brings Asian and Asian American arts and culture to campus through exhibitions, lectures, performances and more. The university also hosts the Stony Brook Film Festival each summer, which has welcomed attendees such as actors Tilda Swinton, Steve Buscemi and Brian Cox.
