Excelsior Is for Everyone

Excelsior is the university for students just starting their degree and for students returning to college to finish their degree. We are the university for full-time professionals and full-time parents. For people who want to change their careers, and for people who want to change their lives.

Accredited and not-for-profit, Excelsior has been delivering on its mission to provide educational opportunity to students since 1971. We have a long history of welcoming learners from diverse backgrounds, particularly those who do not see themselves reflected in traditional higher education, and we are committed to student support and academic excellence. At Excelsior, we believe that education is for everyone.

Preparation for Professional and Personal Success

• More than 35 career-focused degree programs at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s levels.
• Graduate-level certificate programs for acquiring deeper knowledge in an area of interest.
• Noncredit courses to promote career advancement and enhance workplace skills.

Our Colleges and Schools

• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a Department of Liberal Arts, School of Business, and School of Technology
• College of Nursing and Health Sciences with a School of Nursing and School of Allied Health

Our Locations

Excelsior University is a not-for-profit university with a main campus in Albany, New York, and an educational site in St. Petersburg, Florida. Excelsior’s academic programs are registered by the New York State Education Department and/or have Florida-based licensing.

Licensed by the Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education (License No. 12928). Additional information regarding this institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 323099-0400, toll-free number: (888)-224-6684.

For additional state-based authorization information and licensure-related disclosures, visit this page.

Commitment to Mission and Vision

More than 50 years since its founding, the student experience remains at the core of Excelsior’s mission.

Nuestra misión

La Universidad de Excelsior ofrece oportunidades educativas a los estudiantes adultos, haciendo hincapié en aquellos que históricamente están subrepresentados en la educación superior. Excelsior se encuentra con los estudiantes donde están - académica y geográficamente, ofreciendo una instrucción de calidad y la evaluación del aprendizaje.

Nuestra Visión

La Universidad Excelsior proporciona acceso a una educación superior de calidad a través de un aprendizaje en línea innovador y una experiencia estudiantil excepcional, sirviendo de modelo para abordar las necesidades de la sociedad y de la mano de obra.

Education Rooted in Innovation

Fundada en 1971 por la Junta de Regentes del Estado de Nueva York, la Universidad Excelsior era conocida originalmente como el Programa de Titulaciones Externas de los Regentes (REX). Su desarrollo inicial fue financiado por importantes subvenciones de la Fundación Ford y la Corporación Carnegie.

From 1971 until 1998, the institution operated as a program of the Board of Regents and under the authority of The University of the State of New York. As REX and later Regents College, as it became known in 1986, the innovative program allowed adult learners to convert previous workforce and college experience into credit toward the degrees and credentials needed to advance their careers. In this way, the institution helped adult learners find flexible and affordable pathways to degree completion through the assessment of prior learning and the aggregation of credit earned through classroom education and relevant workplace and military experience. It soon added credit by examination, and students could study independently and take exams to validate their knowledge.

En abril de 1998, la Junta de Regentes concedió a Excelsior una carta constitutiva para operar como institución privada, sin ánimo de lucro e independiente. El 1 de enero de 2001, el Regents College cambió su nombre por el de Excelsior College. El nuevo nombre hacía referencia al lema del estado de Nueva York, una frase en latín que se traduce como "siempre hacia arriba".

A principios de la década de 2000, Excelsior fue una de las primeras instituciones en desarrollar y ofrecer cursos con enseñanza totalmente en línea.

In acknowledgment of the breadth of its programs and its bold future, the institution became Excelsior University on Agosto 1, 2022.

In 2025, Excelsior celebrated the milestone of more than 200,000 graduates.

In 2025, Excelsior developed a hybrid learning opportunities that blend online instruction with in-person experiences. A hybrid course in partnership with Paul Smith’s College was offered in the summer, and hybrid options for the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology, and Master of Science in Cybersecurity programs with on-site learning at Excelsior’s site in St. Petersburg, Florida, were introduced in the fall.

An independent board of trustees composed of prominent business and educational leaders from across the United States governs Excelsior University, ensuring Excelsior delivers upon the promise of its mission and vision.