Facts at a Glance

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Baruch College

Baruch College is a dynamic community of scholars and distinguished professionals who educate one of the most diverse student populations in the United States. The College dates back to the founding in 1847 of the Free Academy, the first free public college in the nation, and has carried on a tradition of academic excellence, accessibility, and opportunity for students from every corner of New York City, the metropolitan region, and around the world. Baruch is home to three nationally ranked and well-regarded schools.

The Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs

The Marxe School offers BSPA, MPA, Executive MPA, MIA, and MS in Education degrees while serving as a research engine for governmental and nonprofit entities at the local, state, and national levels

The George and Mildred Weissman School of Arts and Sciences

The Weissman School has more than 50 areas of study that blend rigorous theory with practical experience. Degrees include the BA, BS, MA, and MS.

Zicklin School of Business

The Zicklin School has renowned faculty experts across the business spectrum and acclaimed AACSB-accredited programs leading to BBA, MBA, MS, Executive MBA and MS, and PhD degrees.

President S. David Wu, PhD

President Wu joined Baruch College on July 1, 2020 as the eighth president. An accomplished scholar, a technology innovator, and a bold and visionary academic leader, Dr. Wu’s career spans over 30 years at major private and public institutions. He holds a professorial appointment in the Zicklin School of Business, with areas of expertise in optimization, game theory, and econometrics.

As he leads Baruch into a new era, Dr. Wu’s aim is to challenge higher education isomorphism—the gravitational pull toward status quo and stagnation, rather than change and innovation—and expand Baruch’s national reach. The College offers a rare amalgam of academic achievement and upward mobility for diverse students from all echelons of society. With national rankings and accolades affirming what is now a distinctive niche, he believes that Baruch will emerge as a new model for higher education: Institutions that insist on academic excellence at the highest level while concurrently expanding their base to support historically under-served students to succeed in such a rigorous intellectual environment.

Interdisciplinary Centers and Institutes

• Baruch Performing Arts Center (BPAC)
• Bernard L. Schwartz Communication Institute
• Center for Educational Leadership
• Center for Nonprofit Strategy and Management
• Center for Teaching and Learning
• CUNY Institute for Demographic Research
• Graduate Career Management Center
• International Student Service Center
• Lawrence N. Field Center for Entrepreneurship
• New York Federal Statistical Research Data Center
• Robert A. Schwartz Center for Trading and Financial Markets Research
• Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity
• Sandra Kahn Wasserman Jewish Studies Center (JSC)
• Starr Career Development Center
• Steven L. Newman Real Estate Institute
• Wasserman Trading Floor/Subotnick Financial Services Center
• Weissman Center for International Business

Our Mission

Baruch College is a place of opportunity and exploration where students, faculty, and staff transform their futures, their professions, and their communities. In the heart of New York City, our diverse and inclusive community is driven by learning, innovative knowledge creation, and intellectual discovery for local and global impact. Combining academic excellence, access and value, Baruch College consistently receives outstanding regional, national, and global rankings and recognition.

Academic Excellence

#1  Best Evening MBA and MBA in Accountancy program in New York City, among public institutions: U.S. News & World Report
#1  Best graduate programs in New York City, among public institutions: U.S. News & World Report
#2  Best Public College in the Northeast: Wall Street Journal /College Pulse
#2  Best Financial Engineering Program in the U.S. for 2025: QuantNet
#3  Best Regional Universities-North, among public institutions: U.S. News & World Report
#9  Most Innovative Schools, among Regional Universities-North: U.S. News & World Report
✔    Best 390 College guidebook: The Princeton Review
✔    Five-star rating for academic quality and outcomes: Money

Access and Value

#1  Best in New York and tristate region: Niche
#1  Top Public College for Value: Wall Street Journal /College Pulse
#4  Best Bang for the Buck Public College in New York: Washington Monthly
✔    Best Value Colleges guidebook, #2 in New York among public colleges: The Princeton Review
✔    Top 25 school in U.S. for return-on-investment: Forbes

Economic Mobility for Our Students

#1  Social Mobility Index, evaluated 1,205 four-year colleges and universities in U.S.: CollegeNet
#2  Top Performers on Social Mobility, among Regional Universities-North: U.S. News & World Report