NYC Gazette

Five CUNY senior colleges were listed among the best colleges in the United States by Money, the personal finance website. The colleges — Baruch College, City College of New York, Hunter College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and Lehman College — were named among the top 745 colleges in the country based on an analysis of graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid offerings, and graduates’ salaries.

"We are thrilled to once again see CUNY colleges recognized as some of the best in the country for students who are looking for an excellent and affordable education that will lead to a prosperous career," said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. "Prospective CUNY students should remain assured that our colleges are ready and able to set them up for success as they pursue their professional and personal goals."

Money’s ranking uses a five-star rating system to compare the listed colleges. Under this methodology, Baruch College was awarded five stars while four other schools received four-and-a-half stars.

This ranking is the latest recognition of CUNY’s success in providing an affordable and high-quality college education. Last year, CUNY colleges featured prominently in an interactive college ranking created by The New York Times that allowed users to prioritize factors such as high earnings, academic profile, economic mobility, low sticker price, low net price, racial diversity, and economic diversity.

Similarly, five CUNY colleges — Baruch College, Brooklyn College, City College of New York, Hunter College and Queens College — were listed among “The Best 389 Colleges for 2024” by The Princeton Review. This list was based on survey and opinion data from 165,000 students who attend these recognized four-year schools.

The City University of New York (CUNY) is the nation’s largest urban public university. Founded in 1847 as the nation’s first free public institution of higher education, it serves more than 225,000 undergraduate and graduate students across seven community colleges, 11 senior colleges and seven graduate or professional institutions spread across New York City’s five boroughs. Each year it awards approximately 50,000 degrees.

CUNY's blend of quality education and affordability propels almost six times as many low-income students into the middle class compared to all Ivy League institutions combined. More than 80 percent of its graduates stay in New York contributing significantly to various sectors including economic development and cultural life.

CUNY's graduates and faculty have been recipients of numerous prestigious honors including 13 Nobel Prizes and 26 MacArthur “genius grants.” The University remains committed to its historic mission: providing a first-rate public education accessible to all students regardless of their means or background.

To learn more about CUNY visit https://www.cuny.edu.