Russell Sage College is a small private university in New York's Capital Region, with two distinct urban campuses — a historic downtown Troy campus (founded in 1916 as a women's college by philanthropist Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage) and a leafy residential Albany campus. The college merged its previously separate Troy, Albany, and online divisions in 2020 under a single Russell Sage College identity and now enrolls roughly 2,800 students across undergraduate and graduate programs. Although coeducational at every level since 2019-2020, Sage retains a strong institutional commitment to women's leadership, mentorship, and practical learning; its motto — "To Be, To Know, To Do" — captures a pragmatic, career-oriented philosophy. Academically, Russell Sage is best known for its deep bench of health-profession programs. The School of Health Sciences hosts nationally accredited degrees in nursing (BS, accelerated BS, and MSN tracks), occupational therapy (including an entry-level doctorate), physical therapy (DPT), nutrition, applied behavior analysis, forensic mental health, and public health. Tight clinical partnerships with Albany Medical Center, St. Peter's Health Partners, and the many hospitals of the Capital Region give undergraduates extensive hands-on placements from their earliest semesters. Complementing the health pipeline are strong programs in psychology, education, creative arts therapy, business, and the humanities through the College of Arts and Sciences and the Esteves School of Education. Class sizes are small (student-faculty ratio of about 11:1), and the two-campus model lets students mix urban Troy studio life with Albany's residential energy. Russell Sage is consistently recognized by U.S. News as a top performer on social mobility and a strong "best value" school — a reflection of its generous institutional merit aid and commitment to first-generation and underrepresented students. The Capital Region location offers low cost of living compared to New York City or Boston, real access to state-government internships in Albany, and a weekend's drive from New York, Boston, and Montreal. For international students, Sage provides a tight-knit community, rolling admissions, and straightforward application paths, though prospective applicants should note that institutional financial aid for international students is limited and full financial documentation is required for the I-20.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceThe deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
—
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$38,164
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Russell Sage's flagship school, offering undergraduate and graduate health-profession degrees with deep clinical partnerships across the Capital Region. Programs are accredited by ACEN (nursing), ACOTE (occupational therapy), CAPTE (physical therapy), and ACEND (nutrition).
The liberal arts core offering majors across humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and creative arts. Strong in psychology, biology, creative arts therapy, and interdisciplinary humanities programs.
Teacher preparation and graduate education programs leading to New York state licensure. Strong in early childhood, elementary, special education, and literacy specialist tracks.
Business, accounting, and management programs with an emphasis on ethical leadership and career-ready professional skills. Accounting and business administration are the most popular majors.
4 years
A four-year traditional BSN with clinical placements across the Capital Region health system (Albany Medical Center, St. Peter's, Samaritan). Among Sage's most selective programs, with strong NCLEX pass rates and dedicated simulation labs on both campuses.
6 years
A 3+3 combined BS/OTD pathway producing entry-level doctoral occupational therapists; one of New York state's well-established OT pipelines with fieldwork partnerships statewide.
6 years
Combined BS/DPT program blending classroom, lab, and clinical rotations; graduates are eligible for the NPTE and licensure in all 50 states.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $38,164
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
