Admissions

Stony Brook University acceptance rate

Last checked: 2026-10-26

The acceptance rate at Stony Brook University is 49.0% for fall 2023. Out of 50,341 applicants, 24,670 were admitted and 3,569 enrolled.

The application numbers

FigureFall 2023
Applicants, fall 202350,341
Admitted, fall 202324,670
Acceptance rate, fall 202349.0%
Admitted students who enrolled, fall 20233,569

How this rate compares

Against the New York pilot school average of 28.6%, the rate at Stony Brook University is 20.4 points higher, which means a larger share of applicants were admitted.

Against the national pilot school average of 53.0%, the rate at Stony Brook University is 4.0 points lower, which means a smaller share of applicants were admitted.

Averages here are simple averages across the pilot schools that publish a rate, 16 schools in New York and 235 schools nationwide on this site.

What the acceptance rate does and does not mean

The acceptance rate is the share of applicants who were offered a place. It is worked out by dividing the number of students admitted by the number who applied, for fall 2023.

A low rate means many more people applied than the school could admit. It does not by itself prove that a school is better, that teaching is stronger, or that graduates earn more. Some schools draw very large applicant pools because applying is free or simple, and some excellent schools admit a large share of a smaller, well matched pool.

A high rate does not mean admission is automatic. Schools still set entry requirements, and popular programs inside a school can be far harder to enter than the overall rate suggests. The rate also says nothing about cost. Read it beside the total cost, the average net price, and the outcomes on the cost page for Stony Brook University.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the acceptance rate at Stony Brook University?

The acceptance rate at Stony Brook University is 49.0% for fall 2023. It is the number admitted, 24,670, divided by the number who applied, 50,341.

How many students apply to Stony Brook University each year?

In fall 2023, 50,341 students applied to Stony Brook University, 24,670 were admitted, and 3,569 admitted students enrolled.

How selective is Stony Brook University compared with other schools in New York?

The average acceptance rate across the pilot schools in New York that publish a rate is 28.6%, and the national average across the pilot schools on this site is 53.0%. The rate at Stony Brook University is 49.0%.

Does a low acceptance rate mean a school is better?

No. A low rate means far more people applied than the school could admit. It says nothing on its own about teaching quality, cost, or graduate earnings, which is why this site prints the rate beside cost and outcomes figures.

How much does Stony Brook University cost?

The total cost for one year at Stony Brook University is $32,370 for in state students. The cost page on this site breaks that total into tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other expenses.

What is the graduation rate at Stony Brook University?

The graduation rate at Stony Brook University is 78%, measuring the share of a starting cohort that finished within one and a half times the normal program length.

Sources: the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, United States Department of Education. Admissions figures are for fall 2023. See the methodology page for full detail.