Advantages & Disadvantages of Studying in New York City
You think about studying in NYC but want to get additional information in this regard before making your final decision?
Great! Stick with me since I will show you all the pros and cons of studying in New York City in the following chapters.
Studying in New York City – Overview
Number of Universities | 110 colleges and universities to choose from in New York City. |
Quality of Universities | New York offers a handful of world-class universities and many decent ones as well. |
Networking Opportunities | Good networking opportunities so that you have good chances to find a high-paying job after finishing your degree. |
Student Life | Great since you will find many like-minded people and can also get pretty good education at the same time. |
International Students | New York attracts students from all over the world and you can get in touch with people from many different countries. |
Career Prospects | Excellent career prospects if you study a subject like IT or other fields that are in high demand right now. |
Nightlife | Great nightlife and more than enough good bars and clubs in NYC. |
Living Costs | Living costs are enormously high in NYC. |
Housing | Serious housing shortage, rents and property prices are pretty high and it may take you quite long to find a suitable place to stay. |
Weather & Climate | New York offers warm summers and rather strong winters. |

Advantages of Studying in New York City
- New York offers many great bars and clubs
- You can meet students from all over the world
- You can experience many different cultures
- You can really grow in character by studying in NYC
- You can have many interesting conversations
- Many good colleges to choose from
- You can meet many ambitious students in New York City
- You can build a strong network
- You can have a great time as a student in New York
- Many libraries and other places to prepare for exams
- Studying in New York City can help you get a good job
- Many extracurricular activities
- You can make your friends envious by studying in NYC
- Studying in New York City is good for your CV
- High overall quality of life in NYC
- More than enough things to do in your leisure
- New York is a pretty tolerant city
- Good public infrastructure in NYC
- Many different subjects to study
- Exotic specializations available to you
New York offers many great bars and clubs
One advantage of studying in New York City is that the city offers great student life and you will also have many bars and clubs to choose from where you can hang out and really enjoy nightlife to its fullest.
You can meet students from all over the world
Another reason to study in NYC is that you can meet students from all over the world.
Since New York is that famous, it attracts students from many different countries and you can therefore get friends with people from all over the globe and can make many valuable connections in the long run.
You can experience many different cultures
Since NYC is a multicultural city, you can meet people from many different parts of the world and can also experience many different cultures.
In turn, you can really see the world from a different perspective and can also become more open and tolerant in the long run.
You can really grow in character by studying in NYC
Due to all the nice cultural experiences you will make in New York City, you can also really grow in character and will also become more flexible which will also help you in many situations of your future life.
You can have many interesting conversations
Another reason to study in NYC is that you can have many interesting conversations with people from different social classes and this can make student life in New York City more interesting than in most other places in the US.
Many good colleges to choose from
You will also have more than enough good colleges to choose from in NYC and can enroll in prestigious universities that have a pretty good standing all over the US while you will not find as many good schools when studying in Houston or most other cities out there.
You can meet many ambitious students in New York City
Another upside to studying in New York City is that you can meet many ambitious students and this can be great for your future life since many of those ambitious students will work for renowned corporations sooner or later and by becoming friends with those people, you can improve your overall career prospects quite a lot.
You can build a strong network
New York City is also a great place to network in general. Not only will you meet many smart students, but you can also build a solid network of professionals who can often help you find a fancy entry-level position and to climb the corporate ladder soon.
You can have a great time as a student in New York
Another benefit of studying in New York City is that you can just have a great time.
There are just so many things to do in NYC and you will make many experiences that you will remember for the rest of your life and chances are that you will also never get bored.
Many libraries and other places to prepare for exams
New York City is also great for students since there are many places to prepare for exams.
For instance, there are many libraries and bookstores where you can just sit down in a quiet manner and really focus on your studies.
Studying in New York City can help you get a good job
Since many big corporations are located in NYC, you can also get an internship at one of those big firms and this may help you find a fancy job in NYC after finishing your studies.
Many extracurricular activities
Not only will you have great universities to choose from and overall quality of education will be decent, but you can also join many extracurricular activities and get additional opportunities to socialize, network and to have fun at the same time.
You can make your friends envious by studying in NYC
If you tell your friends about your plans of studying in NYC, many of them will also be pretty envious and will also secretly admire you. In turn, you will also have a pretty high social standing among your peers.
Studying in New York City is good for your CV
Since New York City is famous all over the world, studying in NYC is also pretty nice on your CV, especially if you want to move to a foreign country sooner or later and really want to impress potential employers.
High overall quality of life in NYC
New York City also offers everything you need to have a great time.
In fact, you will barely miss anything and can find most things for daily life at almost every corner.
More than enough things to do in your leisure
Another advantage of studying in NYC is that there are also many leisure activities to choose from.
In fact, there is always something to do and you will never run out of options regarding how to spend your leisure.
New York is a pretty tolerant city
Studying in NYC is also great for people from all over the world since New York is a pretty tolerant city and everyone is welcome as long as he or she is tolerant as well.
Good public infrastructure in NYC
NYC also provides great public infrastructure.
In fact, you can just get from A to B using public transport and don’t urgently need a car. In turn, you can save lots of money in the long run and can also do good for our planet.
Many different subjects to study
Since there are so many different colleges in NYC, you will also find many different subjects to study and you will just have more choices compared to most other cities in the US.
Exotic specializations available to you
You will also get the opportunity to specialize in pretty exotic majors while most other cities in the US don’t offer the same level of diversity in their course programs.
As you can see, there are many reasons to study in NYC. However, it is still not all sunshine and we also have to talk about all the issues that come along with it so that you can better decide whether you still want to study in New York City or rather want to choose a different city instead.

Disadvantages of Studying in New York City
- New York is a pretty expensive city
- Rents are high
- Tuition in NYC is high as well in
- Housing shortage is a big problem in NYC
- It may take you long to find a place to stay
- New York doesn’t have beautiful beaches
- Student loan debt is quite common for students in NYC
- Hard to find well-paying student jobs
- Not all students get a good job after finishing their studies
- New York is a pretty hectic city
- Traffic is a big problem
- Students are often pretty competitive in NYC
New York is a pretty expensive city
One downside to studying in New York City is that it is a pretty expensive city and you have to spend more money on things of daily life compared to people studying in Philadelphia and most other cities.
For instance, if you go out to a bar, you will often have to pay much more for a drink compared to many smaller cities in the US.
Rents are high
Another reason not to study in NYC is that rents are pretty high and students often have a hard time affording to pay such high rents unless their parents financially support them quite a lot.
Tuition in NYC is high as well in
While tuition is high across the country, it is still higher in most colleges in NYC compared to most other cities in the US.
Hence, you would have to spend lots of money on your education and you should really make sure that you want to make this huge commitment before deciding on studying in New York City.
Housing shortage is a big problem in NYC
Another disadvantage of studying in New York City is that housing shortage is a big problem and you will have to compete with many other students for rare housing occasions which can be really annoying and frustrating in the long run.
It may take you long to find a place to stay
Since housing shortage is that bad, it may take you quite long until you find a suitable place to stay and when I say long, I mean many weeks and sometimes even months.
New York doesn’t have beautiful beaches
Compared to studying in Los Angeles, you will also not have that many beautiful beaches and will also have a harder time finding a spot to surf around NYC.
Hence, if you love the surfer lifestyle, you may be better off studying somewhere on the West Coast instead of in NYC.
Student loan debt is quite common for students in NYC
Since studying in NYC is such expensive, student loan debt is also a big problem for many students and they have to pay back huge sums of money later in their lives which may financially constrain them for many years.
Hard to find well-paying student jobs
While living costs are pretty high, it is hard to find well-paying student jobs in NYC and many students are not even close to financing their degrees from their jobs but have to take on huge debt or get financial support from their parents.
Not all students get a good job after finishing their studies
While many students get a good job, studying in NYC is still not a guarantee in this regard and if you are unlucky, you may spend lots of money on tuition, housing and other expenses related to college and may not be able to reap the rewards anytime soon, especially if you graduate in a major that doesn’t provide value in the corporate world.
New York is a pretty hectic city
You should also note that NYC is a pretty busy place and people are often in a hurry.
Consequently, if you want to enjoy student life in a relaxed atmosphere, you should rather move to San Francisco or other cities on the West Coast.
Traffic is a big problem
NYC is also pretty crowded and traffic is a big problem.
Hence, you will often get stuck in traffic jams and will also have pretty poor air quality which may lead to serious health problems sooner or later.
Students are often pretty competitive in NYC
Another problem with studying in New York City is that students are often pretty competitive and may rather focus on bringing you down instead of supporting you during difficult times of your studies.

Top 10 Studying in New York City Pros & Cons – Summary List
Studying in New York City Pros | Studying in New York City Cons |
---|---|
Studying in NYC is good for your CV | Tuition is pretty high in NYC |
Great student life | High living costs are a problem |
Many bars and clubs in NYC | Rents have skyrocketed over the past decade |
New York City has good reputation | Student jobs don’t pay great money |
NYC offers many leisure activities | You may have to take on student loan debt |
You can meet students from all over the world | Not all graduates get a good job |
NYC is a multicultural city | Students in NYC are pretty competitive |
You can have many interesting conversations | Traffic is pretty bad |
You can build a strong business network | It may take you long to find a place to stay |
You can meet many ambitious people | New York is a pretty busy city |
Should You Study in New York City?
As you can see, New York City can be a great place for students since it offers great nightlife and you will also find many renowned colleges.
However, it is also pretty expensive to study in NYC and you should make sure that you have enough money since would not have a great time otherwise.
If you not only want to study in New York City but even consider living there, you should also have a look at all the pros and cons of moving to NYC as well.
Alternative Student Cities
If you don’t want to study in NYC, you may also want to have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of studying in Chicago.
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About the author
This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.
My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.
Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.
In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.