Suffolk Reporter

Stony Brook University has welcomed its largest incoming class of first-year students in its 67-year history. The university, a prominent institution in New York State, reported a 13% increase in first-year undergraduate enrollment for the fall 2024 term. A total of 4,042 new first-year students joined the campus, up from 3,569 in fall 2023. Additionally, transfer student numbers rose by 4%, with 1,334 new transfers compared to the previous year's 1,286.

The university continues to prioritize accessibility and diversity among its student body. It boasts one of the highest percentages of Pell-eligible students among public flagship universities and leads the SUNY system with the largest number of Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) applications and enrollees.

Despite trends at other institutions like MIT and Harvard experiencing declines in Black and Latinx student enrollment this fall, Stony Brook saw an increase. The number of Black first-time students rose from 364 (10.2% of the incoming class) in fall 2023 to 433 (10.7%) in fall 2024. Similarly, Latinx student numbers increased from 496 (13.9%) to 633 (15.7%).

Interim President Richard L. McCormick stated: “This historic enrollment of first-year students is a testament to Stony Brook University’s steadfast commitment to providing an exceptional educational experience and its rise in reputation as one of the nation’s most prominent public flagship research universities.”

In terms of rankings, Stony Brook has made significant strides according to U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges listings over recent years. It moved from #93 in the rankings for 2022 to #58 for both the current year and last year while maintaining its position as New York's top public university.

Stony Brook University is part of the State University of New York system and serves over 26,000 students with more than 3,000 faculty members.