Ranking Your Bank

Alum Designs Website That Ranks Banks by Consumer Need

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 24, 2017) – A new website developed by a UAlbany alum and lecturer helps New Yorkers choose the best bank for their needs.

New York Bank Ratings Index (NYBRI) evaluates the 19 largest banks in the state along 20 consumer-focused categories, including the cost of checking accounts and credit cards; lending practices; and branch locations.

The project was led by Ray Brescia, associate professor at Albany Law School, and Ralph Scunziano, an attorney and recent Albany Law School graduate, with assistance from the Empire Justice Center, and the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development.

The website was developed by Christopher Velez, a graduate of UAlbany's master’s program in Information Science. Velez teaches Intermediate Interactive Design in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and developed early versions of the website as part of a course project.

The bank index project is part of a larger affiliation between UAlbany and Albany Law School.

NYBRI assesses 19 banks that serve or have served New York State according to 20 different consumer-focused categories, generating a final score and ranking the banks according to their success in providing consumer-friendly services. The website also allows consumers to customize bank ratings to select the best bank for them. An accompanying report on the site details the methodology and findings of the study.

“The findings of this project help consumers choose the bank that’s right for them along a range of categories,” Brescia said. “This is one of the first such ranking systems that allows the customer to personally customize the ranking for the best fit for him or her.”

The report was developed over the past year, studying the largest 19 banks by assets operating in New York State. The study was conducted prior to the purchase of First Niagara bank by Key Bank, which was finalized last year. Because First Niagara scored the highest in the ranking, the findings with respect to First Niagara were included in this year’s report.

Albany Law School and the University at Albany announced a formal affiliation in October 2015. The partnership strengthens both institutions by creating innovative academic opportunities for students and opportunities for new research and grant prospects for faculty. The affiliation is designed to create economic and social benefits for the Capital Region and beyond. To learn more, visit here.

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