SUNY Empire State College
About SUNY Empire State College
Founded in 1971, Empire State College was designed to provide greater access to higher education, especially for motivated, busy adults who may not be able to attend a conventional college or university. Now 40 years later, SUNY Empire State College has:
- more than 63,000 alumni
- more than 20,000 students enrolled a year
- more than 35 locations throughout New York state
- nearly 2,000 faculty and staff, committed to helping students earn a degree
Reasons to study at Empire State College
Choice
You can design a concentration that matters to you and meets the standards of a SUNY degree. Your concentration can be creative or traditional within 12 broad areas of study:
- The Arts
- Business, Management and Economics
- Community and Human Services
- Cultural Studies
- Historical Studies
- Educational Studies
- Human Development
- Interdisciplinary Studies
- Labor Studies
- Public Affairs
- Science, Mathematics and Technology
- Social Theory, Social Structure and Change.
Flexibility
You can study online, face-to-face at one of our 35 New York state locations, or a combination of both. Empire State College offers convenient ways to get your degree.
Credit for Qualified Prior Learning
You may transfer credits from regionally accredited colleges to a degree at Empire State College. You may also be eligible to earn credit for qualified prior learning gained from work and life experience.
Affordability
Undergraduate tuition is only $220 per credit for New York state residents (residency restrictions and other mandatory student fees apply). In addition, many students are eligible for financial aid in the form of scholarships, loans, grants, or employer tuition benefits.
Quality
Empire State College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. As part of the State University of New York (SUNY), we offer the same rigor and high-quality education as other SUNY institutions, and you are expected to meet the same high standards.
SUNY Empire State College will accept a transcript directly from StraighterLine. It is, however, recommended that each student contact their enrollment counselor or advisor at SUNY Empire State College before enrolling with StraighterLine to make sure that his/her course work will transfer into the program they will be pursuing at time of transfer.
Program Benefits:
StraighterLine Students are eligible to receive the following partnership benefits:
- Waiver of $50 orientation fee (application fee) at time of submission of online admissions application (undergraduate only, excludes nursing)
- $100 Presidential scholarship applied at time of first enrollment (only toward undergraduate degree programs excluding nursing)
Student Testimonials
"The degree planning process was interesting. You’re able to tailor your degree — to make it your own. You design it.
I found the opportunity to tie what I’d learned in the business world rewarding. I was able to tie that back into the classroom. When you’ve been in the business world and you go back to school, it’s a totally different experience … readings come to life for you because you’ve already experienced it.
It changed the way I think about everything!"
Visit the SUNY Empire State College Website