Baruch College of the City University of New York

About Baruch College of the City University of New York

Baruch is a separately accredited senior college within the City University of New York rather than a department of another CUNY campus. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education lists the institution as accredited, while the federal IPEDS system gives it the distinct institutional identifier 190512. These designations establish Baruch as an independent degree-granting institution for profile purposes, although CUNY governs the college and administers the shared undergraduate application. The institution’s lineage reaches back to New York’s Free Academy, founded in 1847. A School of Business and Civic Administration was established within City College in 1919, renamed for Bernard M. Baruch in 1953, and reorganized as an independent CUNY senior college in 1968. Using 1968 as the founding year best reflects the establishment of the present institution, while the longer history explains its connection to the earlier schools. Baruch’s three-school structure gives the college a broader scope than its business-centered reputation may suggest. Zicklin covers business education; Weissman provides arts and sciences programs and the liberal-arts component of undergraduate study; and Marxe focuses on public and international affairs. Official institutional material also identifies bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral offerings. Prospective students should understand that program access, advising, career services, and graduate application procedures can differ by school. Baruch’s setting is distinctly urban: academic, administrative, cultural, athletic, and student-activity facilities occupy several buildings around Lexington Avenue in Manhattan rather than a traditional enclosed campus.

Undergraduate applicants apply through the centralized CUNY Application. The application can cover multiple CUNY colleges, but applicants must select Baruch and ensure that every required item is received. First-year review requires an official high-school transcript and focuses principally on academic preparation, including overall grades, course performance, and curriculum rigor. For admission from fall 2023 through spring 2027, CUNY’s test-optional policy allows first-year applicants to choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores; the absence of scores cannot by itself be used to deny admission. Baruch uses rolling decisions for undergraduate applicants other than Macaulay Honors College candidates, while also publishing priority dates. On the page reviewed in August 2026, fall priority dates were February 1 for applicants educated in the United States and December 1 for international applicants, with international supporting documents due December 15. Spring priority dates were September 15 for U.S.-educated first-year applicants and September 1 for international applications, with supporting documents due September 15. These are priority dates rather than a promise that space remains available, so applicants should verify the cycle displayed when they apply. International status and education outside the United States can change document requirements and processing timelines. Transfer applicants also follow CUNY procedures but should review transfer-credit and program-entry rules separately. Graduate admission is decentralized by school and program; candidates should not reuse undergraduate requirements or deadlines. Before submitting, every applicant should confirm the intended entry term, credential-evaluation needs, fees, prerequisite courses, and any program-specific materials on the relevant official admissions page.

Baruch delivers undergraduate and graduate study through three academic schools. The Zicklin School of Business includes fields such as accountancy, finance, management, marketing, economics, and real estate. The Weissman School of Arts and Sciences spans humanities, social sciences, communication, mathematics, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary subjects. The Marxe School of Public and International Affairs addresses public affairs, public administration, international affairs, and related policy fields. Applicants should use the current program directory and bulletin to confirm that a particular major, concentration, or graduate specialization remains available. At the undergraduate level, Baruch awards BBA, BA, BS, and BSPA degrees. Official institutional information states that undergraduates complete an arts and sciences minor, giving students in professionally oriented programs a structured liberal-arts component. Requirements differ among degrees, and students considering transfer credit or a change of major should consult the relevant school because their path may differ substantially from a standard first-year sequence. Graduate credentials include master’s programs across the three schools. Baruch also houses CUNY doctoral study in business and industrial-organizational psychology, supporting verification of doctoral-level education without implying that every department offers a PhD. Joint and executive formats exist in selected fields, but applicants should verify current delivery mode, prerequisites, and application procedures at the program level. The college also identifies interdisciplinary research priorities in data science, technology, cybersecurity and informatics; climate studies and environment; and entrepreneurship and innovation. These clusters indicate areas of cross-school faculty activity, not guaranteed majors or research placements. Students seeking research, internships, or specialized electives should check faculty and departmental opportunities directly rather than assuming access from the cluster name alone.

Key Highlights

• Public senior college within the City University of New York
• Separately accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Recognized in IPEDS under institutional identifier 190512
• Established as an independent CUNY senior college in 1968
• Organized into business, arts and sciences, and public affairs schools

Student Life & Environment

Baruch’s student experience is shaped by its Manhattan location and multi-building campus. The Office of Student Life supports undergraduate clubs, graduate organizations, student government, Greek organizations, and heritage-month programming. Activities typically provide the most direct route to meeting classmates outside courses, particularly for students who commute. New students also receive structured orientation programming: the published 2026 Weeks of Welcome includes convocation, contact with peer mentors, introductions to student leaders, and opportunities to learn about campus resources. The Newman Vertical Campus concentrates many everyday facilities, including classrooms, student-activity space, athletics and recreation areas, and performing-arts venues. Students can also use the Newman Library, tutoring and academic support, health resources, and career services. Because Baruch is not a self-contained residential campus, students should expect daily life to extend into the surrounding city rather than center on residence halls. Housing is available but limited. For 2026–27, Baruch Housing is located at FOUND Study–Midtown East, at 569 Lexington Avenue, rather than on the main academic block. The college says applications are competitive, housing is not guaranteed, and rooms are assigned first come, first served with priority considerations that include distance from campus. As of the official page reviewed in August 2026, housing was full and operating a waitlist. Students who need accommodation should therefore plan a realistic commuting or private-rental alternative before enrolling.

Location & Surroundings

Baruch’s main address is One Bernard Baruch Way, with the Newman Vertical Campus at 55 Lexington Avenue near East 24th Street. Other college facilities occupy the surrounding Gramercy and Flatiron-area blocks, including the historic Lawrence and Eris Field Building at 17 Lexington Avenue. The result is a compact city campus integrated into Manhattan streets rather than enclosed behind campus boundaries. This location puts students between Midtown and Lower Manhattan, within reach of corporate offices, public institutions, nonprofit organizations, cultural venues, and professional events. That proximity can support internships and networking, but an opportunity is not automatic; students still need to apply and account for work authorization, schedules, and travel time. The area is served by New York City public transportation, making commuting practical from multiple boroughs and nearby parts of the metropolitan region. Students comparing Baruch with residential colleges should factor in the character and cost of daily life in New York. Meals, transportation, and private housing can materially affect the budget even when tuition is relatively moderate. The official residence option is farther north in Midtown East, so residents travel between housing and the academic campus. Prospective students may benefit from visiting on a normal class day to assess building-to-building travel, crowding, and the commuter-oriented rhythm.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Baruch charges CUNY public-college tuition according to residency, enrollment level, and program. The newest official schedule found was effective fall 2025: full-time undergraduate New York State residents in degree programs were charged $3,465 per semester, while out-of-state residents and students on temporary visas were charged $620 per credit. Part-time New York resident undergraduates were charged $305 per credit. Mandatory enrollment-based and other course or service fees can apply, and winter courses are billed separately. Because the page had not yet labeled these figures specifically for 2026–27, students should treat them as the latest published schedule rather than assume they cannot change. The tuition figure is not the full cost of attendance. Students should budget for fees, books and supplies, transportation, food, and housing. Official 2026–27 housing is limited and not guaranteed; the residence agreement covers both fall and spring once signed, and cancellation charges may apply. Applicants should review the current housing license before committing. Financial-aid eligibility depends on individual circumstances, residency, enrollment, and applicable federal, state, and CUNY rules. Career support is divided by student population. The Starr Career Development Center serves undergraduates with career counseling, résumé reviews, mock interviews, workshops, career fairs, job and internship listings, and campus recruiting through Handshake. Graduate students use school-specific career services in Zicklin, Weissman, or Marxe. Campus recruiting includes virtual and in-person opportunities, but participation requirements and employer criteria may apply. Baruch also supports paid, unpaid, credit-bearing, and transcript-noted internship arrangements in appropriate circumstances. International students must obtain the required authorization, such as Curricular Practical Training where applicable, before undertaking eligible paid internships. No salary or employment outcome should be inferred solely from access to these services.