Wondering about top Cuny Colleges to study in New York? Each year, City University of New York (CUNY) nominates over one million students in six community colleges, eleven senior colleges, and seven undergraduate schools.
In order to help you, we have compiled a list of the best Cuny Colleges which offer excellent educational programs for your bright future. In the list, all are public universities with relatively low tuition for both in-state and out-of-state students.
The eleven senior CUNY colleges listed below are located across New York City’s five boroughs, and the focus and personalities of the schools vary widely. Explore our complete directory and choose the best according to your requirement. Good luck!!
Table of Contents
Baruch College
Baruch is one of CUNY’s senior colleges. The college offers undergraduate, masters, and Ph.D. programs through its Zicklin School of Business, as well as the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences and the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. The college also houses several doctoral (Ph.D.) programs offered through the CUNY Graduate Center. Baruch is one of the more selective of the CUNY schools with an acceptance rate of just 31%.
To apply, students must submit the CUNY system online application that includes high school transcripts and scores from either the SAT or ACT. In addition to the required materials, students may send in letters of recommendation, a supplemental essay/personal statement, and a resume of extracurricular activities. For in-state students, tuition-fees is set at $6,810 for the academic year, 51.1% off the price charged to out-of-state students. Tuition is $6,330 and fees $480.
Founded In: 1919
Ranking: 1st
Acceptance Rate: 31%
Tuition & Fees Approximately: $6,810
Admission Office Contact: 646-312-1000
Website: http://www.baruch.cuny.edu
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is made up of five schools. Depending upon your interests and major, you will become a member of one of the five schools within the college: the Murray Koppelman School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences, or the School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts. Undergraduate students may choose to study in 83 programs. If you are interested in pursuing a master’s degree, they offer 71 graduate programs in finance; education; the visual, creative and performing arts, the humanities, and the sciences, all of which will allow you to expand your career options.
Brooklyn College is one of the more selective of the CUNY schools with an acceptance rate of just 37%. At Brooklyn, their most popular majors are Accounting, Audiology, Biology, Business Administration, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, English, Health Sciences, Political Science, Psychology, Radio, and Television. Students are required to send in scores from the SAT or ACT.
Founded In: 1930
Ranking: 2nd
Acceptance Rate: 37%
Tuition & Fees Approximately: $6,838 (in-state) & $13,948 (out-of-state)
Admission Office Contact: 718.951.5000
Website: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/home.php
CCNY (City College of New York)
The City College of New York (CCNY) is a public university and a senior college in the City University of New York (CUNY) network. A fully accredited institution of higher education, they offer curricula leading to the bachelor of arts, bachelor of fine arts, bachelor of science, bachelor of engineering, master of architecture, master of arts, master of fine arts, master of public administration, master of science, master of science in education, and master of social work degrees, as well as a number of accelerated (BA/MA, BS/MD, etc.) degrees and advanced certificate programs. They also offer doctoral programs in seven engineering disciplines and in psychology, and several CUNY doctoral programs in science are based at City College.
The CCNY is organized into five schools plus The Macaulay Honors College. The college offers outstanding teaching, learning and research on a beautiful campus in the heart of the world’s most dynamic city. Outstanding programs in architecture, engineering, education and the liberal arts and sciences prepare their students for the future and produce outstanding leaders in every field. Applicants are required to submit scores from the SAT. Other required materials include high school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and personal essays/writing samples.
Founded In: 1847
Ranking: 3rd
Acceptance Rate: 41%
Tuition & Fees Approximately: $6,689 (in-state) & $13,799 (out-of-state)
Admission Office Contact: P: 212.650.7000
Website: https://www.ccny.cuny.edu
City Tech (New York City College of Technology)
The New York City College of Technology (City Tech) is the largest four-year public college of technology in the Northeast and a national model for technological education. City Tech) is the designated college of technology of The City University of New York, currently offering both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It is an exceptional College that goes beyond traditional class offerings to create a high-tech, hands-on educational experience for its students.
Through its Schools of Technology & Design, Professional Studies and Arts & Sciences, City Tech offers 53 degree programs in the technologies of art and design, business, computer systems, engineering, entertainment, healthcare, hospitality, human services, the law-related professions, career and technology teacher education, and the liberal arts and sciences. Its 27 associate and 26 baccalaureate degree programs provide a rare blend of specialized technological instruction and broad education in the liberal arts and sciences.
Founded In: 1946
Ranking: 4th
Acceptance Rate: 75%
Tuition & Fees Approximately: $6,669 (in-state) & $13,779 (out-of-state)
Admission Office Contact: 718-260-5500, admissions@citytech.cuny.edu
Website: http://www.citytech.cuny.edu
College of Staten Island
The College of Staten Island is one of the 11 senior colleges of CUNY, and it is the only public university on Staten Island. It is a four-year senior college with a highly-regarded baccalaureate curriculum. The college offers undergraduate programs, masters & doctoral programs, certificate programs, and honors programs. The College of Staten Island (CSI) offers a broad range of academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, leading to enriching and challenging undergraduate and graduate degrees for its students.
With an admittance rate of 99%, the College of Staten Island is an accessible school. As part of the CUNY system, the College of Staten Island accepts applications through the system’s website. Additional materials that prospective students must submit as part of their application include high school transcripts and test scores from the SAT or ACT.
Founded In: 1956
Ranking: 5th
Acceptance Rate: 99%
Tuition & Fees Approximately: $6,890 (in-state) & $14,000 (out-of-state)
Admission Office Contact: 718.982.2000
Website: https://www.csi.cuny.edu
Hunter College
Hunter College is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York. It is an American public university located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Founded in 1870, it is also one of the oldest public colleges in the country. More than 23,000 students currently attend Hunter, pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in more than 170 areas of study. In addition to offering a multitude of academic programs in its prestigious School of Arts and Sciences, Hunter offers a wide breadth of programs in its preeminent Schools of Education, Nursing, Social Work, Health Professions and Urban Public Health.
Hunter offers master’s programs in nursing, nutrition, biomedical laboratory management, accounting, education, speech-language pathology and all the liberal arts, plus a number of accelerated and advanced certificate programs. Talented students from around the world apply to Hunter’s master’s programs in the fine arts, including creative writing, studio art, integrated media arts, and playwriting. Popular sports at Hunter include basketball, fencing, softball, soccer, volleyball, wrestling, track and field, and tennis.
Founded In: 1870
Ranking: 6th
Acceptance Rate: 38%
Tuition & Fees Approximately: $6,782 (in-state) & $13,892 (out-of-state)
Admission Office Contact: 212.772.4000
Website: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/main/
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
John Jay College of Criminal Justice is fully accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The college is known for its criminal justice, forensic science, forensic psychology, and public affairs programs. John Jay awards bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees, as well as certificates. Undergraduate students at John Jay can choose from a range of interdisciplinary arts and science programs that balance classroom learning with practical research, internships and experiential opportunities. Graduate students at John Jay can choose from a range of nationally recognized graduate programs that are centered on cutting-edge methods of teaching, learning, research and hands-on training.
John Jay College is a selective branch of the CUNY system, with an acceptance rate of just 34%. Interested students can apply through the CUNY system’s website. As part of the application process, students will need to submit SAT or ACT scores, letters of recommendation, high school transcripts, and a complete application form.
Founded In: 1964
Ranking: 7th
Acceptance Rate: 34%
Tuition & Fees Approximately: $6,810 (in-state) & $13,920 (out-of-state)
Admission Office Contact: 212.237.8000
Website: http://www.jjay.cuny.edu
Lehman College
Lehman College is a senior college of the City University of New York (CUNY) in New York, United States. It is a public, comprehensive, coeducational liberal arts college with more than 90 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and specializations. Lehman College offers a variety of selective and distinguished undergraduate and graduate programs in the Schools of Arts & Humanities, School of Education, School of Natural and Social Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Human Services, and Nursing, and School of Continuing Education.
You can choose from over 50 majors and certificates that combine high-quality academic programs, affordable tuition, student support, and a beautiful tree-lined campus and state-of-the-art facilities. Admissions at Lehman College are competitive, with only 32% of applicants accepted in 2016. To apply, interested students should fill out and send in an application form, along with high school transcripts, and scores from the SAT or ACT.
Founded In: 1967
Ranking: 8th
Acceptance Rate: 32%
Tuition & Fees Approximately: $6,812 (in-state) & $13,922 (out-of-state)
Admission Office Contact: 718-960-8000
Website: http://www.lehman.cuny.edu
Medgar Evers College
Medgar Evers College is a senior college of The City University of New York (CUNY), offering baccalaureate and associate degrees. The college offers 29 associate and baccalaureate degree programs through its four schools: The School of Business, The School of Professional and Community Development, The School of Liberal Arts and Education, and The School of Science, Health, and Technology. The College offers baccalaureate degrees and associate degrees in several disciplines.
Medgar Evers College offers a Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) certificate program through its Nursing Department. It also offers a number of courses and certificate programs through the Continuing Education component of its School of Professional and Community Development. Admissions at Medgar Evers College are largely open-the school had an acceptance rate of 98% in 2016. To apply, students will need to submit an application; since the school is a member of the CUNY system, students can apply to multiple schools with one application.
Founded In: 1970
Ranking: 9th
Acceptance Rate: 98%
Tuition & Fees Approximately: $6,756 (in-state) & $13,866 (out-of-state)
Admission Office Contact: 718.270.4900
Website: https://ares.mec.cuny.edu
Queens College
Queens College is a public university and one of the senior colleges in the CUNY system. The college offers bachelors and master’s degrees in more than 100 areas with psychology, sociology, and business being most popular among undergraduates. Academic programs are organized into four divisions, which offer both day and evening courses: Arts and Humanities; Mathematics and the Natural Sciences; the Social Sciences; and Education (Queens College educates more teachers than any other college in the New York City region). The college offers several new undergraduates and graduate majors, including a BA in Chinese, a BA in Classics, a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, an MFA in Creative Writing and Translation, an MS in Photonics, and an MS in Risk Management.
The college’s strengths in the liberal arts and sciences earned it a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. CUNY Queens College, with an acceptance rate of 41 percent, is somewhat selective. Students will generally need good grades and above average test scores in order to be admitted. To apply, those interested will need to submit an application, high school transcripts, and scores from the SAT or ACT. Letters of recommendation and a personal essay are not required but encouraged.
Founded In: 1887
Ranking: 10th
Acceptance Rate: 41%
Tuition & Fees Approximately: $6,938 (in-state) & $14,048 (out-of-state)
Admission Office Contact: (718) 997-5000
Website: http://www.qc.cuny.edu/Pages/home.aspx
York College
York College of The City University of New York is one of eleven senior colleges in the City University of New York (CUNY) system. Today, with an enrollment of more than 8,000 students, York serves as one of CUNY’s leading liberal arts colleges, granting bachelor’s degrees in more than 40 fields, including those in the Health Professions, Nursing (BS) and a combined BS/MS degree in Occupational Therapy, among others. York College provides students with a one-of-a-kind educational experience. The College is organized into three Schools: the School of Arts & Sciences, the School of Business & Information Systems, and the School of Health Sciences and Professional Programs.
The College is distinguished not only for offering a variety of majors and minors in almost every discipline but also for bringing professional programs in business, accounting, information systems management, teacher education, generic nursing, social work and allied health sciences to traditionally underserved populations. York College also offers certificate programs in a variety of fields that include: mortgage finance; youth work; survey research; and Spanish for professional purposes.
Founded In: 1996
Ranking: 11th
Acceptance Rate: 41%
Tuition & Fees Approximately: $6,748 (in-state) & $13,858 (out-of-state)
Admission Office Contact: P: 718-262-2000
Website: https://www.york.cuny.edu
