CUNY Four-Year Colleges: Rankings, Programs, and Admission
The City University of New York (CUNY) is the nation’s largest urban public university, a transformative engine of social mobility and a critical component of the lifeblood of New York City. Founded in 1847 as the nation’s first free public institution of higher education, CUNY provides a first-rate public education to all students, regardless of means or background. Today, CUNY has seven community colleges, 11 senior colleges, and eight graduate or professional institutions spread across New York City’s five boroughs, serving nearly 240,000 undergraduate and graduate students and awarding 50,000 degrees each year.
CUNY's mix of quality and affordability propels almost six times as many low-income students into the middle class and beyond as all the Ivy League colleges combined. More than 80 percent of the University’s graduates stay in New York, contributing to all aspects of the city’s economic, civic, and cultural life and diversifying the city’s workforce in every sector. CUNY’s graduates and faculty have received many prestigious honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes and 26 MacArthur “genius” grants.
CUNY Rankings and Recognition
CUNY colleges have consistently been recognized for their effectiveness in driving social mobility along with their overall quality. U.S. News & World Report and other publications frequently highlight CUNY's strengths.
- Wall Street Journal/College Pulse Rankings: The City University of New York claimed the top seven spots on The Wall Street Journal’s best value colleges list, with Baruch College ranked first for the third year running due to its affordable costs and strong graduate earnings. Following Baruch were Hunter College, Brooklyn College, City College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Queens College and Lehman College. The ranking, developed by The Wall Street Journal in partnership with College Pulse and Statista, estimates how quickly graduates earn back the cost of their degree based on how much additional income they receive.
U.S. News & World Report:
* The City College of New York was named No. 10 (tied) for social mobility among national universities.* Six CUNY senior colleges ranked among the top 10 north region universities for social mobility, with Hunter College at No. 1. The other CUNY schools are Baruch College (2), Lehman College (tied at 4), John Jay College of Criminal Justice (6), Queens College (7), and Brooklyn College (8). Also named on the list are York College (69) and College of Staten Island (82).* New York City College of Technology ranked No. 2 among regional colleges in the north.* Seven CUNY colleges among the top public universities in the north region. These include Baruch (3), John Jay (7), Hunter (tied at 10), Lehman (12), Brooklyn College (15), Queens College (tied at 17). Also named are College of Staten Island (37) and York College (52). City Tech ranked No. 14 in the list of top public colleges in the north region, and Medgar Evers College is named No. 15 among public national liberal arts colleges.* Baruch, Hunter and John Jay tied for ninth place for most innovative universities in the north region, a list that identifies schools making the most innovative improvements in curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities.Forbes: Eight CUNY senior colleges were spotlighted for offering some of the best returns on investment for students nationwide, according to Forbes’ newly published report: “The 25 Colleges With the Highest Payoff,” which ranked Brooklyn College No. 1.
Read also: The New CUNY Logo
The Princeton Review: Four CUNY senior colleges - Baruch College, Brooklyn College, City College and Hunter College - were also recognized for their overall value by The Princeton Review, which named the four colleges among its best-value colleges list as part of its publication of “The Best 391 Colleges: 2026 Edition.” The greater list is based on survey and opinion data from 170,000 students who attend the recognized four-year schools.
Niche: CUNY community colleges dominated Niche’s 2026 list of the best community colleges in the state, including comprising the entire top five list. Ranked No. 1 was Borough of Manhattan Community College, followed by Queensborough Community College, Kingsborough Community College, Bronx Community College and LaGuardia Community College. Also in the top 10 was Hostos Community College, which ranked No. 6.
Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez has emphasized that these rankings validate CUNY’s commitment to providing students and graduates with a rigorous education that pays off. He also noted the importance of affordability in students’ success, citing the average four-year, in-state CUNY tuition of about $7,000 a year. The University has prioritized engaging students early in their academic journeys through paid internship and apprenticeship opportunities; expanded academic advising that integrates career milestones; and bringing industry leaders to campuses as visiting lecturers to supplement the existing world-class faculty.
Top CUNY Four-Year Colleges
While all CUNY schools offer valuable educational opportunities, some consistently rank higher than others. Here's a closer look at some of the best CUNY four-year colleges:
Baruch College: Baruch College ranks at the top of the list of best CUNY Schools. Baruch is made up of three academic schools: the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, the Zicklin School of Business, and The Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. Known for its strong business focus, Baruch also has a wide range of offerings in other fields. Baruch College is ranked within the top 200 national colleges and universities by Forbes and Niche, and has a cumulative A- grade, the highest grade given by students on Niche of any CUNY school. It also has the highest freshman retention rate of any CUNY school at 88%. Although the campus has limited housing and space, it makes up for this with its impressive 17-story Newman Vertical Campus building. Over 170 student clubs and organizations are available here, as well as 35+ majors in fields such as business, international affairs, art, and science. Students have praised Baruch for its value, academics, diversity, and student life.
Read also: CUNY GPA Guide
Hunter College: Hunter College is a very close second in our list of CUNY schools ranked. Compared to Baruch, its focus leans more toward the liberal arts and humanities. Founded as a women’s college in 1870, Hunter began admitting men in 1946. Hunter’s main campus is located two blocks east of Central Park at East 68th Street and Lexington Avenue. Founded back in 1870, Hunter College is one of the largest CUNY schools in terms of enrollment. It is highly ranked by US News and has the best student-faculty ratio of any CUNY college at 13:1. The school's also got a fairly high 85% freshman retention rate. Well known for its liberal arts and nursing programs, Hunter offers more than 80 majors, spanning fields such as Arabic, dance, chemistry, and statistics. The campus is located just two blocks east of Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so there's a lot to do and see around Hunter. Students on Niche gave high marks to the school's value and diversity but a very low D- grade to the campus.
Queens College: Queens College has an 80-acre campus located primarily in Flushing, Queens, an exciting and diverse part of the city. Established in 1937, Queens College has a high 84% freshman retention rate and a solid B grade on Niche, indicating that most students are satisfied with their education and experience here. It also has a very good student-faculty ratio of 16:1. At Queens, students can choose from among more than 100 programs of study in the arts and humanities, the social sciences, the natural sciences, math, and education. The school is also home to over 100 student clubs and 20 intercollegiate sports teams. Around 25% of students are aged 25 or older, making it a solid choice for nontraditional students. Queens does fairly well, but not great, at pretty much everything, according to students on Niche, who gave the school almost all B-level grades for qualities such as academics, professors, campus, and student life.
The City College of New York (CCNY): Ranking in the middle of our list of CUNY schools, CCNY is an excellent college with a long and impressive history. The City College of New York, also known as CCNY or just City College, is the oldest CUNY school, having been founded in 1847. It's got a high 86% freshman retention rate, an impressive student-faculty ratio of 16:1, and a cumulative B+ grade on Niche. City College is known for its premier engineering and sciences programs, but it also has schools and departments specializing in various other fields such as the arts and humanities, education, and interdisciplinary studies. More than 70 academic programs and 200 student clubs are available here. However, most students feel that improvements could be made to the campus, party scene, and student life as a whole. On Niche, about one-third of students polled feel they're just attending the school for an education-nothing more.
John Jay College of Criminal Justice: While primarily known for its focus on criminal justice and forensics, John Jay also boasts a well-regarded liberal arts curriculum. Despite its name, the John Jay College of Criminal Justice offers a lot more than just a highly ranked criminal justice program: as a well-known liberal arts college, the school houses around 30 majors in fields such as anthropology, math, English, and sociology. John Jay has a solid 79% freshman retention rate and a very good overall B+ rating on Niche. It also offers around 60 student clubs and organizations. The majority of students thoroughly enjoy John Jay, awarding the college high grades for its campus, location, and student life on Niche.
Brooklyn College: Brooklyn College is located on a scenic 35-acre campus at a comfortable remove from the bustling city. The first coeducational CUNY school, Brooklyn College is one of the larger CUNY schools, with an 82% freshman retention rate and a solid B rating on Niche. Students can choose from among 82 undergraduate programs across five distinct schools in business, education, humanities and social sciences, natural and behavioral sciences, and visual and performing arts. A wide variety of student organizations and clubs are available at Brooklyn College as well, ranging from academically and professionally oriented groups to sports teams and volunteer service clubs.
Read also: Understanding CUNY Verification
Lehman College: Lehman College, the only four-year CUNY school located in the Bronx, sits at number 8 in our list of CUNY schools ranked.
Medgar Evers College: One of the smaller colleges on our list of CUNY schools, Medgar Evers College is located in central Brooklyn, close to Prospect Park.
College of Staten Island (CSI): CSI is the only of the 11 four-year CUNY schools located in Staten Island. CSI takes advantage of the space with a 204-acre campus surrounded by a park-like landscape.
York College: The final entry in our best CUNY schools ranked, York College still provides excellent educational opportunities at a relatively affordable price.
Finding the Right CUNY College for You
Choosing the right college is a significant decision. Here are some factors to consider when selecting a CUNY school:
Academic Interests: What do you want to major or minor in? The fastest and easiest way to check what majors and minors a particular CUNY school offers is by using the CUNY majors search function. With this you can simply type in your major and see which CUNY schools have it.
Campus Environment: Do you want a close-knit, more intimate atmosphere? Enrollment numbers can vary quite a bit at CUNY schools, so it's critical for you to think hard about what kind of environment you'd prefer.
Location: Although all CUNY colleges are based somewhere in New York City, they're not all the same in terms of setting. One great way of getting to know a college is to visit its campus. I suggest taking a campus tour and then spending at least a few hours exploring the area around the school.
Financial Aid and Scholarships: Even though all the CUNY schools are pretty inexpensive, you might have better luck getting more financial aid or winning a scholarship at one school than another.
GPA and Test Scores: Specifically, you'll want to compare your GPA and SAT/ACT scores with those of admitted applicants at each CUNY school you're considering. If your GPA and test scores are higher than the school's averages, you have a great shot at getting in; this school can be considered a safety school. If they're about the same, you have a good but not amazing shot, making this school a target school.
CUNY Admission Process
Every year thousands of applicants apply for freshman admission to CUNY. The admission review process provides an opportunity to assess your entire academic record, including all attempted and completed courses, and grades earned. They also look beyond the classroom.
The tables below reflect the average academic profiles of both admitted freshmen and admitted transfer students at each CUNY undergraduate college for the Fall of 2025. This information is helpful as applicants decide which colleges within CUNY are an appropriate academic fit for them. Keep in mind, however, that these profiles are an average, not a minimum standard for admission.
- The GPA reflects a combination of all prior colleges attended. GPAs reported as “0” in CUNYfirst are only included if the total number of credits attempted is greater than 0.
- Total credits earned for each applicant reflects a combination of all prior colleges attended but does not necessarily reflect the number of credits that CUNY will accept towards the degree.
Transfer Explorer (T-Rex):
Transfer Explorer (T-Rex) is a web-based tool containing the most up-to-date information about how CUNY colleges transfer and apply credit for both CUNY and non-CUNY courses, as well as for other learning experiences, like exams and certifications. Whether you are planning to transfer within CUNY or simply to take a course at another CUNY college, make T-Rex your go-to resource.
CUNY vs. SUNY
The other New York State public university system is known as SUNY (The State University of New York). Somewhat better known, their schools are located all throughout the state of New York. As a public university system, the CUNY schools are highly regarded for their affordability and quality instruction.
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