Schenectady is home to three colleges, with 5,652 students on campus
Schenectady County Community College (3,438 students on campus) and Union College (2,082) are inside the city. About 10% of Schenectady’s residents are enrolled in college, above New York (7%).
From the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard, June 2026; IPEDS fall 2023 enrollment) and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2020–24. Straight-line distances from the center of Schenectady. Colleges are described, not graded.
Within 15 miles
17
47,159 students on campus
Nearest college
0.6 mi
Belanger School of Nursing
Residents in college
10%
Above NY (7%)
Nearest community college
0.6 mi
Belanger School of Nursing · $12,444 tuition
Nearest public university
9.6 mi
University at Albany · $10,866 in-state
Median household income
$58K
prices below start here
What stands out about college in Schenectady
Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.
Degree-granting colleges with 100 or more students on campus (fall 2023 enrollment, minus students who study only online). Admitted: share of applicants offered a place. Net price: the average a year after grants, for students on federal aid. Graduate: within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting.
What it costs
What would your family pay?
The average a year after grants, for families on federal aid, at the colleges within 15 miles. Pick your family’s income.
Family income
Starts at $48–75k, where Schenectady’s median household income ($58,399) falls.
The average a year after grants and scholarships, for first-time, full-time students on federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Your own price depends on your aid package; every college has a net price calculator. For community colleges the net price counts housing and food at full cost, so tuition is shown beside it. “—”: not reported for that income.
Outcomes
Do students finish, and does it pay?
Each dot is a college within 15 miles of Schenectady: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.
University at Albany61% graduate$68k earnings$20k typical debt
Hudson Valley Community College35% graduate$45k earnings$11k typical debt
Belanger School of Nursing100% graduate$80k earnings
Graduation: first-time, full-time students within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 years (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting, for students who got federal aid. *Reported for all the campuses that file together: Bryant & Stratton College-Albany (8); Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus (3).
Majors
What students study in Schenectady
Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field across Schenectady’s 3 colleges, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.
Social sciences 12%Health professions 12%Liberal arts 11%Engineering 9%Biology 9%Computer science 6%Everything else 41%
Biggest programs
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesSchenectady County Community College · 83 graduates a year
$39k4 yrs out
EconomicsUnion College · 66 graduates a year
$100k4 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and OperationsSchenectady County Community College · 46 graduates a year
$47k4 yrs out
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesUnion College · 42 graduates a year
$75k4 yrs out
Mechanical EngineeringUnion College · 34 graduates a year
$85k4 yrs out
Political Science and GovernmentUnion College · 32 graduates a year
$75k4 yrs out
Biomedical/Medical EngineeringUnion College · 30 graduates a year
$86k4 yrs out
Biology, GeneralUnion College · 30 graduates a year
$87k4 yrs out
College Scorecard: degree shares (PCIP; each college’s six largest fields are kept, the rest count as everything else) and the field-of-study file, median earnings 4 years after graduating.
Questions about college in Schenectady
Is Schenectady a college town?
No. About 10 of every 100 Schenectady residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), above New York (7). The largest campus in the city, Schenectady County Community College, has 3,438 students on campus.
What colleges are in Schenectady?
Schenectady County Community College, Union College and Belanger School of Nursing are inside the city.
What is the closest community college to Schenectady, and what does it cost?
Belanger School of Nursing in Schenectady, 0.6 miles away. Tuition and fees are $12,444 a year for New York residents; the federal net price, $13,185, counts housing and food at full cost.
How much does University at Albany cost if we live in New York?
Tuition and fees are $10,866 a year in-state and $31,256 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $11,112 (under $30,000 income) to $24,085 (over $110,000), housing and food included.
Neighbors talk college
Students, parents, alumni and the neighbors next door.
Colleges: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023 enrollment). “On campus” is fall enrollment minus students who study only online. Distances are straight-line from the center of Schenectady. Residents in college, age, rent and poverty (including poverty without college students, table B14006): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–24. Colleges are described, not graded; the College town label marks towns where 15% or more of residents are enrolled. How TownRatings describes colleges →
Photo: UpstateNYer · CC BY-SA 3.0