Address: 100 Nicolls Road, 11794 Stony Brook, New York, United States
Health Sciences, STEM disciplines, Marine Sciences
Long Island’s North Shore, roughly 50 to 60 miles east of New York City, is home to Stony Brook University, a public research university in the State University of New York system. It began in 1957 as the State University College on Long Island, which opened in Oyster Bay to prepare teachers for secondary schools. The institution moved to Stony Brook in 1962 on land donated by Ward Melville, and its early presidents included John Francis Lee, appointed in 1961, and John S. Toll, who took office in 1965.
More than 27,000 students are enrolled. Besides the main campus the university operates Stony Brook Southampton, and its health programmes are organised under Stony Brook Medicine; Stony Brook University Hospital was completed in 1980. The university belongs to the Association of American Universities and holds the R1 classification for very high research activity.
Stony Brook has a long link with Brookhaven National Laboratory, also on Long Island. Since 1998 the university and Battelle have jointly managed the laboratory through Brookhaven Science Associates, which operates it for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. Philanthropy has also shaped the university: the Simons Foundation announced an unrestricted endowment gift of 500 million dollars in 2023.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Engineering, Life Sciences, Marine Science, Physics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Part of SUNY system. Co-manages Brookhaven National Laboratory. Stony Brook University Hospital is a major academic medical center on Long Island. Member of AAU.
Research:
A leading research university with strengths in physics (nuclear and particle), computer science, marine and atmospheric sciences, and biomedical research. High research activity.
Famous Alumnis:
Jef Raskin, Laura Schlessinger, Kim Stanley Robinson, Scott G. Horowitz
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
8000
Current students***:
27000
Foreign students***:
20%
Cumulative former students***:
200000
Pros
Strong STEM and health sciences programs, co-manages a national laboratory, good value for a public research university.
Cons
Large commuter student population, campus architecture is somewhat utilitarian, located on Long Island (can be expensive).
Best For
Students seeking strong programs in STEM or health sciences at a public research university, often valuing research opportunities including those at Brookhaven National Lab.
University at Buffalo is a public university in Buffalo that combines engineering, health sciences and pharmacy, a close match for Stony Brook's STEM and health mix.
In Tampa, the University of South Florida is public too and lists health sciences, engineering and marine science among its main fields.
University of Rhode Island in Kingston offers a marine-oriented option, with oceanography, pharmacy and engineering at a public institution.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a public research university in New Brunswick with pharmacy, arts and sciences and engineering as main fields.
University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public institution in Birmingham whose medicine, nursing, dentistry and public health schools resemble Stony Brook's health programmes.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
James Cook University in Australia is a public university that combines medicine and dentistry with marine biology.
University of Bergen in Norway is a public university where marine science and climate research are main fields.
University of Copenhagen in Denmark is a public university covering health and medical sciences alongside natural sciences.
Seoul National University in South Korea is a public university with engineering, natural sciences and medicine among its main fields.
Monash University in Australia is public and lists medicine, engineering and information technology, a science-and-health profile similar to Stony Brook's.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
How did Stony Brook begin?
It was founded in 1957 as the State University College on Long Island and first operated in Oyster Bay, with the aim of preparing teachers for secondary schools. A new campus near the village of Stony Brook opened in 1962.
Who gave the land for the present campus?
Ward Melville donated the land near the village of Stony Brook, and the institution relocated there in 1962. That move ended the Oyster Bay years that had begun in 1957.
Who were the first presidents?
John Francis Lee was appointed the first president in 1961, and John S. Toll became the second president in 1965.
How large is the student body?
Enrollment is above 27,000 students. The official facts page also gives current enrollment and residence figures.
Is Stony Brook connected to a national laboratory?
Yes. Since 1998 the university and Battelle have jointly managed Brookhaven National Laboratory for the Department of Energy through Brookhaven Science Associates.
Which health facilities belong to the university?
Its health programmes are grouped under Stony Brook Medicine, and Stony Brook University Hospital was completed in 1980. Admission to health professional programmes is handled by each school.
Does Stony Brook have more than one campus?
Besides the main campus in Stony Brook, the university has Stony Brook Southampton on eastern Long Island. Current campus and residence details are on the official site.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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