CUNY Hunter College

Public · Moderately Selective · NY

Photo: Beyond My Ken (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationNY · Northeast

SettingUrban

Undergrads16,289

Student:faculty14:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate37.9%

6-yr grad rate56.9%

Drop-out rate22.4%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$7k

Out-of-state tuition$15k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity81.6%

Gender diversity65.9%

International4.6%

Identity—

Overview

Hunter College is one of CUNY's flagship senior colleges, occupying a dense vertical campus of interconnected buildings on Manhattan's Upper East Side rather than a traditional quad. Originally founded as a school for training women teachers, it evolved into one of the country's most respected public colleges for the liberal arts and professional preparation, with a long history as a launching point for New York's immigrant and first-generation students. It carries a serious, no-frills academic reputation rather than a traditional campus social scene, and its Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute, housed in the former home of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, adds an unusual civic dimension to campus life.

Academics

Nursing, education, social work, and pre-med preparation are the strongest and most recognized programs, with the Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing a particular standout given its direct ties to New York City's public hospital system. The Silberman School of Social Work and Hunter's own School of Education extend that same practical, licensure-oriented emphasis into graduate and combined-degree tracks. Psychology, the sciences, and a well-regarded MFA program in creative writing round out Hunter's reputation. Class sizes skew larger in introductory lecture courses and considerably smaller in upper-level major seminars, and students are expected to be self-directed within a fairly open, CUNY-style curriculum rather than a tightly prescribed core.

Campus & student life

Hunter is a commuter school through and through, with almost no green campus space and limited traditional residential life beyond a single dormitory tower several miles south of the main campus. Student culture centers on academics, clubs, and the surrounding city rather than athletics, Greek life, or a football-Saturday atmosphere, and most students juggle a full course load with jobs, internships, or family responsibilities. The Upper East Side location means students are more likely to describe their college experience through subway commutes, part-time jobs, and Manhattan's museums and hospitals than through campus traditions.

Getting in

Admission is more numbers- and transcript-driven than essay-driven, consistent with CUNY's general approach, though supplemental writing and activities still carry weight for competitive, capacity-limited programs like nursing and other health fields. The applicant pool is heavily local and academically strong, drawing many of New York City's top public and specialized high school graduates who could likely gain admission elsewhere but are drawn by Hunter's reputation and cost.

After graduation

Hunter's nursing, education, and social work graduates move directly into New York City's hospitals, public schools, and social service agencies, and the college's ties to the city's health and education systems function as an informal but effective pipeline. Many students also go on to graduate or professional school, particularly in psychology, public health, and law, and Hunter's affordability makes it a common springboard for first-generation students pursuing advanced degrees.

Worth knowing

Hunter is widely regarded as one of the best academic values in the country given its tuition relative to program quality, particularly in nursing and education. Its Upper East Side location puts students within walking distance of major hospitals, museums, and internship-rich neighborhoods, reinforcing the practical, career-focused character of the student body. It's also worth knowing that Hunter's affiliated elementary and high schools for gifted students share the name but operate as separate institutions from the college itself.

hunter.cuny.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate53.8%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1100–1420

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Regular decisionFeb 1

Applying