53.8%
Acceptance Rate
$7,382
Avg Cost (In-State)
$15,332
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
58.8%
Graduation Rate
16,289
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
February 1
Common App
No
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$65
Interview
Not required
Essays: Personal essay required through CUNY Application
Note: Uses CUNY Application system only, not Common App. Some programs may have additional requirements.
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$50,414
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$63,163
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
59%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | $31,706 | $59,149 | 612 |
| Sociology. | $30,246 | $57,965 | 244 |
| Human Biology. | $31,891 | $83,420 | 229 |
| English Language and Literature, General. | $27,958 | $55,759 | 217 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $103,692 | $116,361 | 207 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $29,054 | $55,182 | 190 |
| Chemistry. | $29,340 | $54,699 | 143 |
| Computer Science. | $76,747 | $102,321 | 124 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
NY Excelsior Scholarship
~$20k valueExcelsior covers tuition at SUNY or CUNY for full-time NY residents with family income under $125,000, after other aid is applied.
Who it helps: NY residents attending SUNY or CUNY full-time with family income $80k-$125k (the bracket above TAP eligibility).
How to use: Apply on HESC.ny.gov. File FAFSA + TAP. Renewable annually.
Source ↗New York Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
~$18k valueNY TAP pays up to ~$5,665/year at SUNY, CUNY, or eligible private NY institutions for residents under ~$80k family income.
Who it helps: NY residents attending SUNY, CUNY, or eligible NY private institutions, with family income under ~$80k.
How to use: File FAFSA + NY State HESC TAP application as part of FAFSA. Done annually.
Source ↗Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Vassar College Need-Met Aid
100% need met; loans capped
universityAll admitted Vassar students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗NY Aid for Part-Time Study (APTS)
Up to $2,000/year
stateNY residents enrolled part-time at SUNY/CUNY or eligible NY privates.
Deadline: Through school aid office
Learn more ↗NY Enhanced Tuition Awards
Up to $6,000/year (at private NY colleges)
stateNY residents at participating NY private colleges with family income under $125,000.
Deadline: FAFSA + TAP + ETA application
Learn more ↗NY State Aid to Native Americans
Up to $2,000/year
stateMembers of a NY State tribe attending NY postsecondary institution.
Deadline: July 15
Learn more ↗NY State STEM Incentive Program
Full SUNY/CUNY tuition
stateNY HS grads in top 10% of class committing to STEM major and 5-year NY work commitment.
Deadline: August 31
Learn more ↗SUNY Binghamton Presidential Scholarship
Up to $5,000/year
universityTop Binghamton incoming freshmen via competitive process.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York (ZAGNY) Scholarship
Varies
localZoroastrian students in NY metro area; ZAGNY youth/education committee.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Jain Center of America (NYC) Scholarship
Varies
localJain youth members of Jain Center of America in NYC metro pursuing higher education.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗New York TAP (Tuition Assistance Program)
Up to $5,665/year
stateNew York State residents attending approved NY colleges. Based on taxable income (under $80,000 for dependent students).
Deadline: June 30 (apply via FAFSA)
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 53.8% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
53.8%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
55.9%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
46.9%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
42.7%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
77.7%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
56.9%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, FL
53.2% acceptance
Both admit around 53% of applicants, with 13k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
San Juan, PR
54.6% acceptance
Both admit around 55% of applicants, with 9k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA
54.8% acceptance
Both admit around 55% of applicants, with 31k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR
56.5% acceptance
Similar selectivity (57% vs 54%) but out-of-state cost runs $5k — meaningfully less than $15k.
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
San Juan, PR
54.6% acceptance
Similar selectivity (55% vs 54%) but out-of-state cost runs $5k — meaningfully less than $15k.
Reaches above this college
Northeastern University
Boston, MA
5.2% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but more selective (5% vs 54%) — a stretch target if CUNY Hunter College is already on your list.
Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY
4% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but more selective (4% vs 54%) — a stretch target if CUNY Hunter College is already on your list.
Columbia University
New York, NY
3.9% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but more selective (4% vs 54%) — a stretch target if CUNY Hunter College is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
CUNY Queens College
Queens, NY
64.4% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (64% vs 54%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark, NJ
65.1% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (65% vs 54%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University at Albany
Albany, NY
69.1% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (69% vs 54%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
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