The College of Westchester

Key Highlights

• MSCHE reaffirmed the college’s accreditation on June 25, 2026.
• Founded in 1915 and located in White Plains since 1959.
• New York State authorizes CW to award certificates and associate and bachelor’s degrees.
• Day, evening, and online study formats are available.

Student Life & Environment

Student life reflects CW’s commuter setting and professionally oriented programs. Rather than a residential-campus model, activities are built around students who come to the White Plains campus for classes or participate through other delivery formats. The college publishes opportunities for student government, clubs, leadership development, academic recognition, and events, but the scale and meeting times of individual organizations may vary. Prospective students who want an intensive residential social experience should compare this format carefully with colleges that operate residence halls. The Student Government Association provides a formal channel for student participation and is open to enrolled students. The college also describes extracurricular clubs and organizations intended to build collaboration and leadership. Academic recognition opportunities include an Honors Program for associate-degree students, an undergraduate research seminar for selected bachelor-level students, Phi Theta Kappa, and Sigma Beta Delta. Each has its own academic or credit-based eligibility rules. Support services are a substantial part of the student experience. New-student orientation introduces college policies and resources, while Student Success Coaches monitor progress and coordinate with faculty and advisers. Students can also use centralized advising, learning and testing support, accessibility services, counseling, the library, and Career Services. Since campus engagement must fit around commuting and class schedules, applicants should ask which clubs, events, and support appointments operate during their intended day, evening, or online schedule.

Location & Surroundings

CW’s main campus is at 325 Central Avenue in White Plains, a commercial and employment center in Westchester County. The location is oriented toward commuters from Westchester and neighboring parts of the New York–Connecticut metropolitan area. Students should plan for travel time and transportation expenses rather than assume a residential-campus routine. The college reports that free parking is available to commuting students. Public transportation options include nearby Westchester Bee-Line bus stops; the Route 20 bus stops about half a block away. CW places the White Plains bus depot and Metro-North transportation center approximately a ten-minute walk from campus or a five-minute trip on the Route 20 bus. This connection can make the campus accessible from communities served by regional rail and bus networks, although students should verify schedules for evening or weekend classes. White Plains and proximity to New York City can support internships and employer contact across the tri-state area. Career Services reports working with organizations in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The practical value of that location will depend on a student’s program, commute, work schedule, and willingness to travel to an internship or practicum site.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–27, CW publishes tuition of $904 per credit for day, evening, and online study. Its illustrative charges are $11,508 for 12 credits and $14,385 for 15 credits, including listed general fees. Books are additional, and medical courses, certification examinations, graduation, or other program requirements can produce further charges. These current figures supersede the lower annual tuition stored in the database, which should not be used as a 2026–27 estimate. CW’s 2026–27 day-division cost-of-attendance example covers a dependent student living with parents and taking 27 credits over two semesters. It estimates $24,408 in tuition, $1,000 for books and supplies, $1,485 in general student-services fees, and indirect allowances for living, transportation, and personal expenses, for a total of $32,750. This is a planning budget, not every student’s bill. The college describes federal and state aid, institutional scholarships and grants, payment plans, and federal work-study for eligible students. Applicants should compare net costs only after receiving an individualized aid offer. Career Services provides résumé and cover-letter assistance, interview preparation, career counseling, job-search support, career events, internship coordination, and part-time placement assistance. The catalog explicitly states that employment is not guaranteed. CW reports high related-employment percentages for 2024–25 graduates, but those rates exclude several groups and rely on graduate self-reports, so they should not be treated as universal placement probabilities. Prospective students should request program-specific outcomes, cohort sizes, job titles, and methodology before using employment data in an enrollment decision.