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The Capital Region, also known as “Tech Valley”, is a hub for higher education with a strong focus on nanotechnology and semiconductor engineering. It is home to 21 colleges and universities that rank among the top in the nation.

The State University of New York, one of the best public higher education institutions, has some of its most dynamic schools in Tech Valley including The University at Albany and SUNY Polytechnic Institute's Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering.

Private institutions such as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a premier engineering school, have consistently provided the area with a highly-skilled workforce.

Community colleges like Hudson Valley Community College, one of the top community colleges in the country, offer cutting-edge programs in Mechatronics, Nanotechnology, Semi-Conductor Manufacturing, and Renewable Energy that complement the four-year schools.

Many of the colleges also provide award-winning early college in the high school programs on their campuses, like Tech Valley High School and Ballston Spa High School’s Clean Technology and Sustainable Industries Program.

K-12

Ballston Spa

• Voted one of America’s Most Challenging High Schools by the Washington Post
• Middle school was one of only 27 New York schools since 2004 to earn the coveted Schools to Watch Award.
• Elementary school designated as a PTA School of Excellence
• Partners with Hudson Valley Community College to provide the nationally renowned Early College in the High School Clean Technologies & Sustainable Industries Program to Capital Region students

• Ranked 5^th out of 85 school districts in 11 counties by The Business Review
• 85-90% of graduates pursue higher education
• NYSPHAA Class A State Champions in multiple sports

• “Park Seward’s National Park Foundation Grant” awarded to Corinth High School to connect national parks to high school teachers and students

• More than half of the graduating class received awards, scholarships, or monetary prizes from the community.

• High school ranked among top 5% in the US by Newsweek.
• Pre-engineering program, Project Lead the Way, ranked #1 nationally among 3,000 high schools.
• NYSPHAA Class AA State Champions in multiple sports

• NYS Sportswriters Association Kerr-Cup Award
• Ranked #7 out of 85 schools districts in 11 counties by The Business Review; elementary and middle school ranked #1
• Ranked #1 in high school students who pursued higher education, Syracuse.com
• One of the top 10 “W!SE High Schools” teaching Personal Finance
• Math Team members finished in the top 99.9% nationally at the MathCon contest
• NYSPHAA Class AA State Champions in multiple sports

• Over $600,000 in scholarships awarded to graduating seniors by local donors (does not include individual scholarships provided by universities)
• 97% graduation rate with 85% of seniors pursuing higher education

Colleges & Universities

Skidmore College

• Ranked #37 for Liberal Arts Colleges in the US by US News & World Report.
• Ranked in the Top 100 US Colleges by Forbes Magazine.

SUNY Polytechnic Institute Colleges of Science & Nanoscale Engineering

• $1.2 Million Award for Energy-Focused Incubator
• Professor recieved Nanotech Briefs Nano 50 Award for developing a Ballistic Spin Transport Metrology Tool
• Winners in several NYS Business Plan Competition categories such as Nanotechnology/Advanced Technology and Energy/Sustainability

• Ranked #5 among US Engineering Colleges - USA Today 
• Ranked #4 on list of “World’s Best Engineering Schools” – Business Insider
• Known for successful transfer of technology from the laboratory to the workplace

• SUNY Polytechnic Institute awarded the world's first Ph.D degree in Nanoscience.