City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York: the complete school report for parents

City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York puts the most weight on GPA. It does not consider legacy, demonstrated interest and the interview, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. With a 58.0% admit rate and 71% of enrolled students at a 3.25 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Major matters more than the name on the diploma here: five years out, Computer Engineering graduates earn a median $111,970 against $25,104 for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft.

City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York is officially CUNY City College. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.

Admit rate
58.0%
34,284 applicants
GPA of admits
3.25+
71% at or above
Testing
Test-optional
Transfer admit rate
44.8%
8,240 applied
Net price (average)
$3,776
after grants, per year
Earnings, 10 years
$66,039
median, after entry
Graduate in 6 years
50%
Freshmen who return
83%

What does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York actually weigh in admissions?

City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York rates 1 of the 18 factors "Very Important": GPA. It does not consider 15 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.

City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York admission factors, 2025-2026 Common Data Set
FactorHow City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York rates it
course rigorImportant
GPAVery Important
test scoresConsidered
the essayNot Considered
extracurricular activitiesNot Considered
recommendationsNot Considered
personal qualitiesNot Considered
talentNot Considered
class rankNot Considered
demonstrated interestNot Considered
the interviewNot Considered
legacyNot Considered
first-generation statusNot Considered
geographyNot Considered
state residencyNot Considered
volunteer workNot Considered
work experienceNot Considered
religious affiliationNot Considered

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider how hard my child’s courses were?

Yes. It is an important factor.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider GPA?

Yes. It is one of the most important factors.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider SAT or ACT scores?

Yes, but only as a secondary factor.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider the application essay?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider extracurricular activities?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider recommendation letters?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider character and personal qualities?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider a special talent or ability?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider class rank?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it. A school that does not rank its students is not a disadvantage.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider demonstrated interest?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider an interview?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider legacy status?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider being first-generation?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider where we live?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider state residency?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider volunteer work?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider work experience?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it.

Does City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York consider religious affiliation?

No. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York does not consider it.

What GPA do admitted students actually have?

71% of enrolled students had a 3.25 GPA or above. The average was 3.14 on a 4 scale, reported for 92% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.

City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York high school GPA distribution of enrolled students
High school GPAShare of enrolled students
4.00.34%
3.75–3.9917.29%
3.50–3.7429.6%
3.25–3.4923.94%
3.00–3.2416.53%
2.50–2.9911.64%
2.00–2.490.64%

Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?

City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York admitted 44.8% of 8,240 transfer applicants, against 58.0% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.5.

When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?

City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York offers neither Early Decision nor Early Action, so there is no early round to strategize about and every applicant is read in one pool.

City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York application deadlines and rounds
Regular application deadlineNot reported
Decisions releasedRolling basis beginning December 15
Reply / deposit deadlineMay 1
Early Decision offeredNo
Early Action offeredNo
Application fee$65
Fee waiver availableYes
Deferred admission offeredYes

What does my child need to take in high school?

City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York requires 16 academic units and recommends 22. A college-preparatory program is required. A GED is accepted.

City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York high school course requirements, in years
SubjectRequiredRecommended
English2 years4 years
Mathematics2 years3 years
ScienceNot stated2 years
Foreign languageNot stated3 years

What will City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York actually cost us?

Families pay an average of $3,776 a year at City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $6,930. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 53% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 30 merit awards averaging $6,049 to first-years with no demonstrated need.

What families at each income level actually paid:

City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York average net price by family income
Family incomeAverage net price per year
Under $30,000$1,251
$30,000–$48,000$2,990
$48,000–$75,000$6,811
$75,000–$110,000$9,982
Over $110,000$12,806

14% of City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $7,849 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $127 a month in repayment. City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York’s net price calculator gives your own figure.

Does a degree from City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York pay off?

Graduates earn a median $66,039 ten years after entering, and $46,435 at six years. 73% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 53% are actively paying down their loans three years in.

Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:

Years for City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York earnings premium to cover four years of net cost
Family incomeFour-year net costYears to pay back
Under $30,000$5,0040.2
$30,000–$48,000$11,9600.5
$48,000–$75,000$27,2441.2
$75,000–$110,000$39,9281.8
Over $110,000$51,2242.3

A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.

$111,970 to $25,104, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York:

City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York median earnings five years after graduation, by major
MajorMedian earnings, 5 yearsGraduates a year
Computer Engineering$111,97054
Computer Science$105,797132
Mechanical Engineering$93,362119
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$91,76181
Civil Engineering$90,33757
Biology, General$78,147227
Business Administration, Management and Operations$65,61190
Economics$65,099108
Political Science and Government$64,39984
Fine and Studio Arts$42,697116
Music$40,85644
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft$25,10434

College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.

Will my child actually graduate?

83% of first-years return for a second year. 50% within six (Fall 2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 49.0% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 54.0% of everyone else, a gap of 5.0 points.

How big are the classes?

31% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 2% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 15:1, and 34% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

What is life at City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York like?

14,379 undergraduates, 3% of first-years from out of state. 46% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $48,071.

What this means for your student

  • 71% of enrolled students are at a 3.25 GPA or above, averaging 3.14. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
  • Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
  • Its highest-earning major returns $111,970 five years out against $25,104 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
  • See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.

Common questions about City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York

What GPA do you need for City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York?

71% of enrolled students at City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York had a high school GPA of 3.25 or above, and the average was 3.14, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.

What do City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York graduates earn?

City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York graduates earn a median $66,039 ten years after entering, and 73% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.

Other schools families compare with City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York

Where these numbers come from

Admissions figures: City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.

How to read these numbers · Back to the City | City College | CCNY | City College of New York profile