SUNY Empire State College was established in 1971 by the SUNY Board of Trustees and then-chancellor and future United States Commissioner of Education Ernest L. Boyer as a pioneering statewide SUNY institution focused on educating students at any stage of life or learning, with faculty mentors working closely with students to design individualized degree programs.

Today, the college continues its commitment to flexible, accessible education with more than 110 online degrees and certificates and locations in every region of the state and seven international sites so SUNY Empire students can pursue their education around the demands of a busy life -- whether online, face-to-face, or a blend of both.

SUNY Empire is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.