Best MLIS Schools Near Albany, NY (2026)

Updated September 1, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Albany, New York is home to about 100,081 residents. Median household income is $59,485 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 44.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In New York, the top-earning library science-related role is Library Science Teacher, Postsecondary at a median $76,060 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Library Science Schools to Albany

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer library science programs near Albany, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Albany city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Albany. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY 121.0 miles from Albany
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $79,164
Avg net price $38,793/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 186

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Long Island University

Brookville, NY 128.0 miles from Albany
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
49.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 86%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,950
Avg net price $33,062/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,432
Out‑of‑state$42,432
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 114

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

CUNY Queens College

Queens, NY 133.4 miles from Albany
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,763
Avg net price $4,195/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 97

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

St. John's University-New York

Queens, NY 134.3 miles from Albany
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,571
Avg net price $29,999/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 111

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Pratt Institute-Main

Brooklyn, NY 136.7 miles from Albany
  • 4 year
50.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,295
Avg net price $52,659/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY 253.9 miles from Albany
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
75.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,814
Avg net price $20,995/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,936
Out‑of‑state$31,536
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 193

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Library Science 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)
Librarian and Media Collections Specialist$69,870Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$70,151
Library Technician$46,260Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$46,446
Archivist$73,860NY statewide$74,157
Library Science Teacher, Postsecondary$76,060NY statewide$76,365

Source: BLS, May 2025 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

Other Albany-Area Cities With Library Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying library science roles near Albany?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying library science-related roles near Albany are: Library Science Teacher, Postsecondary ($76,060), Archivist ($73,860), Librarian and Media Collections Specialist ($69,870). 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 library science 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 library science?

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.

Learn More About Library Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Albany

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Albany:

Data verified: September 1, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best MLIS Schools in New York: Online Programs (2026)