Albany ranked 15th-best college destination

The American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) ranked Albany the 15th-best college destination in small cities across the nation.

The College Destinations Index is broken down into four tiers based on population: Major Metros, Mid-size Metros, Small Cities and College Towns.

Once the populations are divided, the Index considers academic environment, quality of life and professional opportunities in more than 360 metropolitan statistical areas, emphasizing the "broader learning environment" of the metros.

In the Small Cities division, Albany had one of the lowest costs of living at just $868 (the rent for an average two-bedroom apartment). However, it also had one of the lowest earning potentials at just over $39,000 (income per capita), according to U.S. Census figures.

Other nearby popular cities ranked as follows:
-New York City: number one of Major Metros
-Boston: number three of Major Metros
-Buffalo: number 13 of Mid-size Metros
-Rochester: number 16 of Mid-size Metros
-Ithaca: number one of College Towns