Best Online Engineering Programs in Albany, NY (2026)

Albany, New York has a population of about 100,081. The city’s median household income is $59,485 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 44.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited engineering programs within 100 miles of Albany, with tuition ranging from $61,884 to $79,934 per year. In the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $176,500 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Engineering Schools to Albany

The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer engineering programs. Distances are calculated from Albany city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
University at AlbanyAlbany, NY2.0 miContact school for pricing
Excelsior UniversityAlbany, NY4.2 miContact school for pricing
CUNY Graduate School and University CenterNew York, NY5.4 miContact school for pricing
Hudson Valley Community CollegeTroy, NY6.3 miContact school for pricing
Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteTroy, NY7.5 mi$61,884 - $79,934

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all New York schools on the New York engineering page.


Engineering Wages Near Albany

Albany is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY metro area (BLS area code 10580). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New York statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Civil Engineer$101,430Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$101,837
Electrical Engineer$103,440Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$103,855
Mechanical Engineer$111,940Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$112,390
Chemical Engineer$124,980Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$125,482
Aerospace Engineer$129,520Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$130,040
Biomedical Engineer$117,180Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$117,651
Environmental Engineer$95,000Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$95,382
Architectural and Engineering Manager$176,500Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$177,209

Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Albany at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population100,081Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$59,485Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+44.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)99.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Engineering-related employment in Albany County2,655 workers, 174 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Albany-Area Cities With Engineering Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering programs are near Albany, NY?

Our directory lists 5 engineering programs within 100 miles of Albany. The closest is University at Albany in Albany, NY (2.0 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (7.5 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Albany?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Albany are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($176,500), Aerospace Engineer ($129,520), Chemical Engineer ($124,980). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New York statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Troy instead of Albany?

Troy, NY is 7.9 miles from Albany and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Albany an affordable place to study engineering?

Albany’s median household income of $59,485 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Albany while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.