New York, N.Y. (August 14, 2025) – Guttman Community College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY), has been named the top community college in New York State for 2025 on a list released by WalletHub on August 12. The rankings were based on several key factors such as cost, graduation rates and career outcomes.
“We are incredibly thankful to top WalletHub’s list of best Community Colleges in New York, proving CUNY’s commitment to academic innovation, student success, and economic mobility. Our faculty and staff embody a culture of care, concern, and compassion for students, who represent the best of the amazing city we call home. I am proud to work with so many who push all on our campus to reach new heights,” said Paul Reifenheiser, officer-in-charge, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
Nationally, Guttman ranked first for per-pupil spending, tied with four other colleges. Offering numerous programs and resources to support success, the College demonstrates the impact of how investing in students leads to better outcomes.
Guttman’s innovative model provides an affordable education in a socially and academically supportive environment, including a Bridge program that helps students transition to college, learning communities to support their academic success and structured advisement to guide student progress and timely degree attainment. The College’s associate degree and certificate programs offer well-defined pathways to degree, transfer and/or careers, and the on-campus Center for Career Preparation & Partnerships works with students to provide career guidance and resources that give students a leg up once they enter the workforce.
“Being named New York’s #1 community college is powerful validation of Guttman’s student-centered model, high-touch advising, real-world learning, and an unwavering commitment to equitable outcomes,” said Daniel Ambrose, vice president for enrollment management and student affairs. “This recognition belongs to our students, faculty, and staff, and it fuels our work to expand access, improve completion, and connect more New Yorkers to upward mobility.”
The College also landed in the top 100 on WalletHub’s list of best community colleges in the U.S. for 2025 with an overall rank of 98 out of 651 total colleges.
View the list, and click “Rankings by State” to search for New York State.
Stella and Charles Guttman Community College was CUNY’s first new community college in more than forty years. Reimagining what community college could be, Guttman opened its doors in Manhattan in August 2012 to create a research-based, innovative model focused on moving students efficiently toward graduation. Offering associate degree programs in a nurturing environment, the College provides holistic support and advising to ensure timely degree completion, and most graduates transfer to senior colleges. Guttman is federally designated as a Hispanic-serving institution and minority-serving institution with more than 90% of the student population identifying as Latine, Black/African American or Asian. Niche.com named Guttman the best community college in America in 2020 and the top community college in New York State in 2021.
