List of CUNY Colleges

The City University of New York is the largest urban public university system in the United States, serving roughly 235,000 to 275,000 students across 26 distinct institutions in all five boroughs. Whether you are a high school student mapping out your college options or a transfer applicant looking for the right fit, understanding what each CUNY school actually offers is the first step toward making a smart decision.

Below is a complete breakdown of every CUNY institution organized by type: senior colleges, community colleges, and graduate, professional, and honors schools.

CUNY Senior Colleges

CUNY's 11 senior colleges are the backbone of the system. They grant bachelor's and master's degrees, and several also offer associate degrees. If you are applying as a freshman looking for a four-year degree, these are the schools you will most likely be considering.

Baruch College is located in Manhattan's Gramercy and Kips Bay neighborhood. Founded in 1919 and named after financier Bernard Baruch, it is home to the Zicklin School of Business, one of the largest business schools in the country. If you are interested in business, finance, or accounting within the CUNY system, Baruch is the flagship option.

The City College of New York (CCNY) sits in Harlem and Hamilton Heights in Manhattan. Founded in 1847 as the Free Academy, it is the oldest institution in the CUNY system and the first free public college in the United States. City College is classified as an R2 doctoral university, and its alumni include 10 Nobel laureates. It is widely considered the CUNY flagship.

Brooklyn College is located in the Midwood and Flatbush area of Brooklyn. Founded in 1930, it is known for its 26-acre traditional campus and strong programs in arts, sciences, business, and education.

College of Staten Island (CSI) was formed in 1976 through the merger of Richmond College and Staten Island Community College. At 204 acres, it is the largest CUNY campus by land area and the only senior college on Staten Island. CSI offers associate through master's degrees.

Hunter College is on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Founded in 1870 as a women's teacher training school, it became coeducational in 1964. With roughly 23,000 students, Hunter is one of the largest CUNY colleges by enrollment and offers strong programs across the liberal arts, sciences, and health professions.

Lehman College is in the Bedford Park section of the Bronx. It was originally the Bronx campus of Hunter College, operating as "Hunter in the Bronx" starting in 1931 before becoming independent in 1968. Named after former Governor Herbert H. Lehman, it is the only four-year CUNY college in the Bronx.

John Jay College of Criminal Justice is in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen and Midtown West area. Founded in 1964 and named after the first U.S. Chief Justice, it is nationally ranked as the top program in the country for criminal justice. If you are interested in law enforcement, forensic science, or public safety, John Jay is the go-to CUNY school.

Medgar Evers College is in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Named after civil rights leader Medgar Evers, it was established in 1969 and opened in 1971 to serve Central Brooklyn's predominantly African American community. It offers both associate and bachelor's degrees.

New York City College of Technology (City Tech) is in Downtown Brooklyn. Founded in 1946 to train returning World War II veterans, it is CUNY's designated college of technology and the largest public college of technology in the Northeast. City Tech offers both associate and bachelor's degrees with a focus on applied and technical fields.

Queens College is in the Flushing and Kew Gardens Hills area of Queens. Founded in 1937, it sits on a 77-acre campus and is well regarded for its liberal arts, science, and music programs.

York College is in Jamaica, Queens. Founded in 1966 and opened in 1967, it offers programs in health professions, business, liberal arts, and science, primarily serving southeastern Queens.

CUNY Community Colleges

CUNY's seven community colleges grant associate degrees and certificates. They serve as the primary open access entry point into higher education for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. Beginning July 1, 2025, a new state program makes CUNY community college tuition free for qualifying students.

Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) is in the Tribeca and Lower Manhattan area. Founded in 1963, it is one of the largest community colleges in the entire country with roughly 20,000 students.

Bronx Community College (BCC) is in University Heights in the Bronx. Founded in 1957, it was the first community college in New York City. The campus occupies the former NYU uptown grounds and features notable architecture by Stanford White, along with the Hall of Fame for Great Americans.

Stella and Charles Guttman Community College is in Midtown Manhattan near Bryant Park. It is the newest CUNY community college, opening in 2012 as the first new community college in the system in over 40 years. Originally called the New Community College at CUNY, it was renamed in 2013 after a $15 million gift from the Guttman Foundation. Guttman uses an innovative cohort-based model and has a small enrollment of roughly 1,000 students.

Hostos Community College is in the South Bronx and Mott Haven area. Named after Puerto Rican educator and independence advocate Eugenio Maria de Hostos, it was founded in 1968 and opened in 1970. Hostos is notable for offering bilingual English and Spanish education programs.

Kingsborough Community College (KCC) is in the Manhattan Beach section of Brooklyn. Founded in 1963, it is the only CUNY campus located on the waterfront, sitting at the tip of Brooklyn's Manhattan Beach peninsula. Kingsborough has strong nursing and international studies programs.

LaGuardia Community College is in Long Island City, Queens. Founded in 1971 and named after former New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, it is known for its cooperative education model and one of CUNY's largest ESL programs.

Queensborough Community College (QCC) is in Bayside, Queens. Founded in 1958 and originally part of the SUNY system before transferring to CUNY in 1965, it sits on a 37-acre campus with strong STEM and healthcare programs.

CUNY Graduate, Professional, and Honors Schools

These eight specialized institutions handle doctoral education, professional training, and the system's flagship honors program. Several also grant bachelor's degrees to upper-division transfer students.

The CUNY Graduate Center is in Midtown Manhattan at 365 Fifth Avenue, housed in the landmark former B. Altman and Company building. Founded in 1961, it is CUNY's principal doctorate-granting institution, offering more than 30 doctoral programs and several master's programs. Faculty are drawn from across all CUNY campuses.

Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism is in Midtown Manhattan. Founded in 2006 and renamed in 2018 after a $20 million gift from Craigslist founder Craig Newmark, it offers master's programs in journalism, entrepreneurial journalism, and engagement journalism, including a bilingual English and Spanish track. It is the only public graduate journalism school in the Northeast.

CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH) is in Harlem, Manhattan. Established in 2008 and fully independent around 2016, it consolidates public health programs previously spread across Hunter, Brooklyn, and Lehman Colleges and the Graduate Center. It offers MPH, MS, DrPH, and PhD degrees.

CUNY School of Law is in Long Island City, Queens. Founded in 1983, it is the only public law school in New York City. It awards the Juris Doctor and is nationally recognized for its public interest law mission, clinical education, and access to justice focus.

CUNY School of Medicine is located on the City College campus in Harlem, Manhattan. It originated in 1973 as the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education and was reconstituted as a full medical school in 2015 and 2016. In November 2024, it was formally separated from City College to become the 26th independent CUNY campus. It offers an accelerated seven-year BS/MD program that does not require the MCAT, along with an MS in Physician Assistant Studies. Roughly 53 percent of its students are Black and Latinx, and it boasts a near-perfect residency match rate.

CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) is in Midtown Manhattan. Founded in 2003, it offers bachelor's degrees for upper-division transfer students, master's degrees, certificates, and continuing education. Many programs are available fully online, and it pioneered CUNY's first online baccalaureate. CUNY SPS is designed for working adults and nontraditional students.

CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (CUNY SLU) is in Midtown Manhattan. Established in 2018, it is the most recently created CUNY school. It grew out of the Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies, which was founded in 1984. It offers BA, MA, and certificate programs in labor studies and urban studies.

Macaulay Honors College is on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Founded in 2001 and renamed in 2006 after a $30 million gift from financier William E. Macaulay, it is CUNY's university-wide undergraduate honors college. Students choose a home campus from eight participating senior colleges (Baruch, Brooklyn, City College, Hunter, John Jay, Lehman, Queens, or the College of Staten Island) and take classes there while accessing special seminars and resources through Macaulay. Macaulay offers free tuition, a laptop, and a $7,500 Opportunities Fund. It is highly selective, and degrees are conferred by the home campus rather than Macaulay itself.

Final Thoughts

CUNY's 26-institution ecosystem spans everything from open access community colleges to a medical school, a law school, and one of the most selective honors programs in the country. For students in New York City, the system represents an enormous range of academic opportunities at a fraction of the cost of private alternatives. The key is knowing which specific school aligns with your academic goals, your geographic preferences, and your long-term plans.

If you are applying to CUNY schools and want expert guidance on building a competitive application, schedule a free consultation with an admissions expert today.