Bronx Community College students outdoors on campus.
CUNY
New York state is giving adult residents a chance to hit the books and earn a degree — or a second degree — and advance their careers without emptying their wallets.
To mitigate the impacts of AI on jobs, New York is expanding free community college for New Yorkers between the ages of 25 and 55, Gov. Kathy Hochul said on Monday.
Starting in January, eligible New Yorkers can attend SUNY or CUNY community college for free if they enroll in an associate degree program in a high-demand field. The governor’s office said the program is also open to people who already have a college degree in a different field, giving them a chance to switch careers and train for growing industries such as advanced manufacturing without paying for tuition, fees, books or supplies.
Other in-demand fields, according to education and economic experts, include air-traffic control, emergency management, cybersecurity, tech, engineering and healthcare.
The state’s announcement comes just days after federal data showed that New York had the fastest-growing economy in the nation in the second quarter of 2026. The Bureau of Economic Analysis, based in Maryland, showed that the Empire State’s economy grew 4% from the first to the second quarter, nearly twice the national growth rate of 2.2% — the fastest growth of any state.
“As AI continues to reshape the global economy, I’m taking action to ensure more New Yorkers have the skills they need to succeed,” Hochul said. “By expanding access to free community college, we’re making it even easier for adult learners to pivot into fast-growing, high-demand sectors without taking on a single dollar of tuition debt.”
The expansion is part of the SUNY and CUNY Reconnect program to support adult learners, which the governor launched last year.
“CUNY is empowering adult New Yorkers, whether starting fresh or returning with a prior degree, to master high-demand fields like cybersecurity, tech, engineering and healthcare in an economy that is being reshaped by AI,” CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said. “Governor Hochul’s expansion of Reconnect reinforces this vital mission by ensuring cost is never a barrier for students looking to reskill, elevating our city’s workforce and securing New York’s economic future.”
Community colleges in NYC and Long Island
The program will allow eligible New Yorkers to enroll tuition-free at community colleges across SUNY and CUNY. It takes effect for the spring 2027 semester, which starts in January for most colleges. Eligible New Yorkers will be able to start applying to enroll under this initiative over the coming months, based on the individual application periods for each SUNY or CUNY campus.
CUNY community colleges
SUNY community colleges in Long Island
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