Why This Matters

  • 95 INSTITUTIONS OFFER TWO-YEAR ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS IN NEW YORK

    Data from College Navigator reveals that there are 95 two-year associate degree programs in New York.

  • $5,697 AVERAGE IN-DISTRICT TUITION AND FEES

    According to College Board, the average New Yorker paid approximately $5,697 in tuition and fees for public, in-district community college.

  • 76.9% OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN U.S. INSTITUTIONS RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID

    The National Center for Education Statistics estimates that 437,899 students attending two-year institutions during the 2018-19 school year received some type of financial aid.

Our Research

To create our list of the best community colleges in New York, we reviewed both private and public institutions that offer two-year associate degree programs. The factors we took into consideration were tuition costs, the number of credits needed to graduate, and coursework delivery formats. The majority of these programs are offered online and in-person, with some schools also providing a blended format.

To guarantee that each program on our list provides a high-quality education, we only included accredited institutions. The majority of schools listed below are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), a peer-based regional accreditor that evaluates schools in the
Northeast. They help students earn professional credentials by validating the integrity, thoroughness, and value of education programs.

  • 73hours to write this article
  • 95universities and colleges we assessed
  • 144education programs we compared

The Top 50 Community Colleges in New York

Best Community Colleges in New York Badge
01

What You Should Know About Graduating From Community College in New York

As you prepare for community college, you should keep in mind your ideal salary. Data from May 2020 shows that the highest-paying careers for associate degree holders in New York are air traffic controllers, nuclear technicians, radiation therapists, funeral home managers, and nuclear medicine technologists.

If you’re looking for a job in New York, you might have better luck if you focus on careers that are in high demand. Occupations projected to have the most openings for associate degree holders in the upcoming decade are preschool teachers, paralegals and legal assistants, computer network support specialists, web developers, and human resource assistants.

Another important factor to consider when deciding on a career field is which occupations are expected to decline. The jobs that are projected to undergo a large drop in employment for associate degree holders in New York include desktop publishers, nuclear technicians, mechanical drafters, industrial engineering technicians, and electronics drafters.

What’s Next?

As you review your options for community college, be sure to consider the financial aid opportunities available to you. Below is a list of federal and state resources that connect associate degree students to scholarships, grants, and loans in New York.

  • New York State Higher Education Services Corporation. This corporation supports New York residents looking to fund their education by providing information about scholarship programs, state loans, federal grants, and work-study opportunities.
  • Federal Student Aid. Each year, over $120 billion of financial aid is awarded by the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid. Students can check if they qualify for this aid through the FAFSA4caster, and they can apply by completing the online FAFSA form.
  • CareerOneStop. This resource, sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, lets students quickly find scholarships available for their degree level and state. It also connects students to helpful information about application requirements and deadlines.