New York: school, college and career rules
New York's diploma needs 22 credits plus Regents exams in four subjects and one pathway; SUNY and CUNY run the public colleges, and TAP pays up to $5,665 a year.
Linked from the State Population Totals 2020-2025 page (census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-state-total.html); population and rank copied from the POPESTIMATE2025 and NRANK_POPEST2025 columns.Census
High school diploma
Three diplomas: local, Regents, and Regents with advanced designation. Every student must meet both the credit and the assessment requirements; schools and districts may add more. NYSED
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| Subject | State minimum |
|---|---|
| English | 4 credits |
| Social studies | 4 credits: U.S. History 1, Global History and Geography 2, Participation in Government ½, Economics ½ |
| Science | 3 credits: life science 1, physical science 1, life or physical science 1 |
| Mathematics | 3 credits |
| World languages | 1 credit (students with disabilities may be excused by their IEP) |
| The arts | 1 credit (dance, media arts, music, theater or visual arts) |
| Physical education | 2 credits (¼ credit per semester of participation) |
| Health | ½ credit |
| Electives | 3½ credits |
22 credits in total.
State tests for the diploma
For a Regents or local diploma, pass one Regents exam (or an approved alternative) each in English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies, plus one pathway. Advanced designation adds two more math exams and a second science exam (one life, one physical), and a world-language, arts or CTE sequence. NYSED
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State test: New York State Testing Program
Grades 3-8 tests and Regents examinations (NYSTP). NYSED's Office of State Assessment develops and runs the New York State Testing Program, given from kindergarten through grade 12 in public, nonpublic and charter schools. NYSED
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| Test | Subjects | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| Grades 3–8 tests | English language arts and mathematics | Grades 3–8 |
| Elementary-level and Intermediate-level Science | Science | Grade 5 and grade 8 |
| Regents examinations | High school subjects | High school; four subjects plus a pathway are diploma requirements |
| New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA) | Alternate assessment | Students who qualify |
Source: NYSED
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What the scores are used for
- Regents exams (or approved alternatives) are part of the diploma requirements above.
NYSED
Graduation Requirements (diploma credit and assessment requirements)New York State Education Department- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- NYSED has published a memo on statewide implementation of computer-based testing for grades 3–8.
NYSED
Grades 3-8 Tests (elementary- and intermediate-level tests)New York State Education Department- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
National tests (SAT, ACT, AP, NAEP) are on the Exams hub.
Public colleges and universities
The state's public university system(s) and community colleges, from their own pages.
- State University of New York (SUNY)University system · The largest comprehensive university system in the U.S.: 64 institutions, including research universities, academic medical centers, liberal arts colleges, community colleges and colleges of technology, serving nearly 1.3 million students.
- City University of New York (CUNY)University system · The nation's largest urban public university: 26 colleges across the five boroughs (11 senior colleges, 7 community colleges), 247,000 students, founded in 1847.
- SUNY and CUNY community collegesCommunity colleges · Community colleges belong to the two university systems: SUNY lists community colleges among its 64 institutions, and CUNY has 7 community colleges in New York City.
Sources: SUNY
View sourceCUNY
View sourceSUNY
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Every school in New York, public and private, with cost and completion: 417 colleges, community colleges and trade schools, with 25 city pages.
In-state tuition: the residency rule
Public colleges charge less to state residents. Who counts as a resident is set by state law or the college system, not by where you went to school alone.
- SUNY: a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or certain non-immigrant whose domicile has been in New York for at least one year immediately before registration pays in-state tuition.
SUNY
SUNY Policy: Residency, Establishment of for Tuition Purposes (Document 402)State University of New York- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Being physically present in New York for twelve months does not by itself create a domicile; a domicile is a fixed, permanent home you intend to return to.
SUNY
SUNY Policy: Residency, Establishment of for Tuition Purposes (Document 402)State University of New York- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- A student's residency usually follows the custodial parents or guardians; students 24 and older are independent of their parents. Students with less than a year apply to the campus with the Application for New York State Resident Status (it may need to be notarized).
SUNY
SUNY Policy: Residency, Establishment of for Tuition Purposes (Document 402)State University of New York- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
The college's residency office makes the final decision. More on costs: What college costs.
State financial aid
Run by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC). Federal aid (Pell Grants, loans) starts with the FAFSA: FAFSA, grants and loans.
Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
$1,000 to $5,665 a year toward tuition. Legal NYS resident for 12 continuous months before enrolling (or eligible under the NYS DREAM Act). NYS net taxable income limit: $125,000 for dependent students, $60,000 for married students with no dependents, $30,000 for single independent students. Up to 3 years for a full-time associate degree, 4 for a bachelor's, 5 for approved five-year programs; file the FAFSA and TAP application each year. Read through the Internet Archive capture of 16 Oct 2026 (hesc.ny.gov returns 403 to requests from India).HESC
Licensing boards
Lawyers, doctors, CPAs and nurses need a New York license from a state board, even after passing a national exam. These are the boards that grant it.
| License | New York board | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer How bar admission works | New York State Board of Law Examiners New York requirements | Uniform Bar Exam (MBE, MEE and MPT). MPRE required (passing score 85). NextGen UBE from July 2028. NCBENew York: bar admission informationNational Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
Bar admission agency, the NCBE exams the jurisdiction requires, MPRE passing score and NextGen UBE plans. NCBE advises checking the agency itself for the latest rules. View source |
| Physician How a medical license works | New York State Board for Medicine | USMLE (M.D.) or COMLEX-USA (D.O.) FSMBContact a State Medical BoardFederation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)
Directory of every state's medical (and separate osteopathic) board. fsmb.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 14 Sep 2026; each board link was then opened on 22 Oct 2026, through the board's site or, where it blocks reads from India, its latest archive capture. View source |
| CPA How the CPA license works | New York State Board for Public Accountancy New York requirements | Uniform CPA Examination NASBAState Boards of AccountancyNational Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
Directory of the 55 boards of accountancy. nasba.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 15 Oct 2026; board links that had moved were replaced with the board's current page, opened on 22 Oct 2026. View source |
| Registered nurse How the RN license works | New York State Board of Nursing New York requirements | NCLEX-RN · Not in the Nurse Licensure Compact NCSBNContact New York State Board of NursingNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
NCSBN / NLCNLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact)
|
State and city government jobs
Federal jobs are on USAJOBS; state and city governments hire through their own systems.
NYS Department of Civil Service
New York State Department of Civil Service
- Find non-competitive roles that do not need an exam, or compete in civil service examinations.
- The type of test is set by the job and listed on the examination announcement under 'Subject of Examination'.
- Under NY HELPS, testing was waived for most open-competitive positions from May 2024 to June 2026, as the page states.
Exam: Yes for competitive positions; some roles are non-competitive.
Source: NYS Civil Service
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New York City
NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS)
Exam applications are accepted only during the filing period in the Notice of Examination: apply online in OASys or at a Computer-based Testing & Applications Center (CTAC), open Monday to Friday. The NYC Exam Regulations set the rules and timeframes. NYC DCAS
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Police, fire and other public-safety routes: Public Service & Safety hub.
Registered apprenticeship
New York has a State Apprenticeship Agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor. California is listed under both OA and SAA.Apprenticeship.gov
- New York State Department of Labor, Registered ApprenticeshipNew York's State Apprenticeship Agency. Apprentices have a job from day one, with hands-on learning and related classroom instruction.
- Trades and apprenticeshipsElectrician, plumber, HVAC and other trade routes on this site
Source: NYS DOL
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Where these facts come from
Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.
- Annual Estimates of Resident Population Change for the United States, States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and State Rankings: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025 (NST-EST2025-POPCHG2020-2025, CSV) · U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025) checked 2026-10-21
- New York: bar admission information · National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact a State Medical Board · Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) checked 2026-10-22
- State Boards of Accountancy · National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact New York State Board of Nursing · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) checked 2026-10-22
- NLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF) · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact) checked 2026-10-07
- Graduation Requirements (diploma credit and assessment requirements) · New York State Education Department checked 2026-10-21
- Office of State Assessment: New York State Testing Program · New York State Education Department checked 2026-10-21
- Grades 3-8 Tests (elementary- and intermediate-level tests) · New York State Education Department checked 2026-10-21
- About SUNY · State University of New York checked 2026-10-21
- About CUNY · The City University of New York checked 2026-10-21
- SUNY Policy: Residency, Establishment of for Tuition Purposes (Document 402) · State University of New York checked 2026-10-21
- Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) · New York State Higher Education Services Corporation checked 2026-10-21
- Job Seekers — New York State Department of Civil Service · New York State Department of Civil Service checked 2026-10-20
- Applying for an Exam · NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services checked 2026-10-21
- New York State Registered Apprenticeship · New York State Department of Labor checked 2026-10-21
- The Apprenticeship System: Office of Apprenticeship (OA) and recognized State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) states · U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship checked 2026-10-21