Press Release: Purchase College Celebrates Enrollment Growth
Enrollment has grown year over year, affirming our strong liberal arts and sciences programs and continuing the prominence of the college’s acclaimed performing and visual arts programs.
For Immediate Release
Purchase College Celebrates Enrollment Growth
Purchase, NY [November 24, 2025]: Purchase College, State University of New York (SUNY), is proud to announce that enrollment has continued to grow year over year, affirming our strong programs in the liberal arts and sciences, and continuing the prominence of the college’s acclaimed programs in the performing and visual arts.
This is the third consecutive year that all SUNY sectors, from community colleges to comprehensive colleges and university centers, have seen enrollment gains.
This fall, the overall enrollment at Purchase was 3,414, up from 3,344 in Fall 2024. This includes a robust incoming class of 1,069. Fall 2025 also included Purchase’s largest EOP class, the biggest cohort of athletes in the college’s history, and a significant expansion of the Advancing Completion Through Engagement (ACE) program on campus, which provides a unique blend of financial, academic, and personal assistance to students.
This year, the college received a record-breaking number of applications from 12,645 students from New York State, the Tri-State area, along with many other states and several countries around the world.
Programs that have seen significant growth include Law and Justice Studies, Economics, Cinema and Television Studies, Arts Management, and Studio Production.
Looking ahead there are early signs of positive momentum for fall 2026. This year’s Open House attendance was up more than 18% from last year and applications are up almost 17% year over year.
Purchase President Michael E. Steiper, PhD said, “We’re proud that more students and families recognize the value of SUNY and are investing in themselves by enrolling in our outstanding programs in the performing and creative arts and the liberal arts and sciences. At Purchase, we are working tirelessly to continue this momentum and provide even more students with an excellent and affordable education. We thank Chancellor John King for his vision, leadership, and support as we work together to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to a SUNY education.”
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “SUNY is on the move, and thanks to Governor Hochul’s leadership, more students are choosing to pursue an excellent and affordable education at the SUNY institution of their dreams. We thank Governor Hochul and state leaders for the strong support they continue to show SUNY as we work to continue academic excellence, upward mobility, research innovation, and student support throughout the SUNY System.”
About Purchase College, SUNY
A top 10 public school, according to U.S. News & World Report, Purchase College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. His aspiration for Purchase was to create a dynamic campus that combined conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, in order to inspire an appreciation for both intellectual and artistic talents in all students. Today, Purchase College, SUNY is a community of students, faculty, and friends where open-minded engagement with the creative process leads to a lifetime of intellectual growth and professional opportunity. For more information about the College, visit www.purchase.edu.
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