Brooklyn, NYprivate nonprofitelyon.edu/
Elyon College is a tiny, ultra-specialized private institution in Brooklyn, New York, that operates more like a focused seminary or professional institute than a traditional liberal arts college. With a microscopic student body of just 31 undergraduates and a curriculum centered on Judaic Studies and Business, it offers an intensely personal, faith-based education with completion rates that defy national norms for two-year colleges. This is a school for a very specific student seeking a direct, supportive path to a particular vocation or religious study.
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Outcomes & value
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Elyon College's admissions process is characterized by its accessibility and small scale. The institution is not selective in the conventional sense; multiple sources report an of 100%, with one detailing that out of 8 applicants, 6 were accepted and 85 enrolled, suggesting a very high from a tiny applicant pool. The college does not report SAT or ACT ranges for admitted students, indicating these standardized test scores are likely not a central component of the evaluation. The process appears to be more about alignment with the school's specialized mission than competitive screening. All new students attend a mandatory orientation session held a few days before classes begin, which serves as the formal introduction to the college community.
Academic life at Elyon is defined by its intimate scale and highly concentrated offerings. The college offers just two majors, with Judaic Studies as the clear centerpiece. Programs are structured around associate degrees and certificates. Students can pursue an Associate of Science (AS) Degree in Judaic Studies, an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree in Accounting and Business Technology, or certificates in Judaic Studies. These programs also offer concentrations, such as within the Judaic Studies AS degree in Education or in Accounting & Business.
The student-to-faculty ratio is exceptionally low, reported at 5:1, which guarantees a level of personal attention rare in higher education. This environment fosters remarkable completion rates: the Judaic Studies AS Degree program boasts a 98.27% completion rate, and the Accounting and Business Technology AAS program has a 77.78% completion rate. The curriculum is practical and direct, designed to prepare students for specific vocational or religious paths rather than providing a broad exploratory liberal arts experience.
With only 31 undergraduate students in an urban Brooklyn setting, Elyon College is less a sprawling campus and more a tight-knit academic enclave. The experience is inherently communal and focused, with the mandatory orientation for all new students setting the tone for a structured, supportive entry into college life. The college has recently emphasized a "global journey," announcing collaborations intended to benefit students through priority in scholarships and admission, as well as flexible language requirements. This suggests an effort to connect its small, localized community with broader international opportunities, though the primary day-to-day reality is one of a small, dedicated group pursuing a shared academic and religious focus.
Elyon College's outcomes are its most striking feature, particularly when viewed through the lens of a two-year institution. Its graduation rate is extraordinarily high, reported at 96% or 97%, which utterly dwarfs the median graduation rate for two-year colleges (cited as 24% in one source). This near-universal completion rate for first-time, full-time students speaks to the effectiveness of its supportive model and the focused dedication of its student body.
Post-graduation earnings data is not explicitly detailed in the provided sources, though one source mentions an earnings range for graduates six years after enrollment without providing specific figures. The institutional focus appears to be on completion and direct preparation for further religious study or business roles, with success measured more by program completion than by conventional postgraduate salary metrics.
Elyon College is a private institution with a that is made accessible through financial aid. The canonical average net price after aid is $12,438. Other sources align closely with this figure, reporting costs after scholarships and grants at $12,833, with an average aid package of $11,939. The college provides a Net Price Calculator on its website to help families estimate their individual cost. On average, student grant aid is reported at $13,522, with 68% of students receiving some form of grant aid. The financial model suggests that while the sticker price may be typical of a private college, institutional and external grants significantly reduce the actual cost for most enrolled students.
Elyon College stands out as a profound outlier in American higher education. It defies categorization: it's a private, two-year college in Brooklyn with the graduation rates of an elite liberal arts college (97%) and the of an open-access institution (100%). Its singularity lies in its radical focus and scale. This isn't a place for undecided students or those seeking a typical 'college experience' with sprawling clubs and Greek life. It is a hyper-specialized, faith-oriented community where every student is known personally, evidenced by a 5:1 student-faculty ratio. The academic model—centered on Judaic Studies and Business—is direct and vocational, leading to exceptional completion rates that suggest a powerful alignment between student intent and institutional mission. For the right student—one seeking an intimate, supportive, and deeply focused path in these specific fields—Elyon offers a uniquely effective and cohesive environment unmatched by larger, more diffuse institutions.