College Overview

Founded in 1966 and located in central New York State, Herkimer County Community College (Herkimer College) is one of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York (SUNY) system.

The village of Herkimer and its surrounding communities are part of the Mohawk Valley region, with the cities of Little Falls to the east, and Utica and Rome to the west. The area is made up of family-oriented communities comprised of small towns and villages offering a full range of services and amenities in a relaxing setting. The area boasts a low cost of living and a good quality of life. The region is home to 25,000 college students on 10 campuses, the closest being SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly), Utica University, and Mohawk Valley Community College.

Herkimer College is sponsored by Herkimer County and is governed by a 10-member Board of Trustees. The Herkimer County College Foundation, Inc. helps the College secure resources that allow us to continually enhance the quality of our offerings and provide life-changing opportunities for students.

Herkimer College offers a variety of associate degree and certificate programs in art, business, communication arts, criminal justice and law, education, healthcare and service, liberal arts and sciences, and STEM, and is a leading provider of 21 fully online degree programs and four online certificate programs offered through the Generals Online digital learning platform.

The College is committed to developing new in-demand programs that are critical to filling needs in the local workforce. Most recent examples include Esports Management A.A.S., Competitive Analytics A.A.S., and several microcredential programs.

With more than 160 articulation agreements with four-year public and private colleges and universities, Herkimer provides a solid foundation for students who wish to continue their educations. Herkimer and SUNY Polytechnic Institute recently announced a new Path to Poly dual admission agreement and a satellite SUNY Poly office on the Herkimer campus.

Herkimer participates in the SUNY ASAP program, designed to eliminate opportunity gaps, improve student retention, and boost completion success by providing enhanced academic support, mentorship, and financial aid to help students stay on track to graduate. Herkimer’s ASAP program began in Spring 2024 with 54 students and grew to 150 in Fall 2024.

In partnership with other colleges in the region, Herkimer received a National Science Foundation grant to offer an LSAMP program, focusing on underrepresented minority students in STEM degree programs.

Herkimer also was selected for the Second Chance Pell award program, expanding access to Federal Pell Grants for incarcerated individuals, resulting in an increased capacity for students enrolled in our College-in-Prison program at Mohawk and Mid-State correctional facilities.

Herkimer College maintains a robust College Now program in the local high schools. The concurrent enrollment program allows high school students to take college-level courses in their high schools and earn both college and high school credit concurrently.

With on-campus housing and a variety of student activities, clubs, and events, Herkimer College students enjoy the complete college experience. What’s more, our nationally recognized Herkimer Generals athletic program is consistently ranked among the best Division III, non-scholarship programs.

Herkimer College's strategic plan, Building on our Legacy; Investing in the Future serves as a road map for the various campus master plans and operational plans, and is focused on providing relevant, flexible, and just-in-time programs and services to meet the changing needs of both traditional and non-traditional students. The plan provides the institution with the inspiration and adaptability for an exciting future.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) accreditation of Herkimer College was reaffirmed, effective March 4, 2021. The College received several commendations including accolades for the quality and innovation of the Internet Academy and its course refresh process; the establishment of the General’s Cupboard food pantry; the College’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion; and implementation of a program prioritization process and updated program development process.

Herkimer College was recently awarded a total of $25 million in capital funding for essential improvements to facilities including new baseball and softball fields, new locker rooms and team rooms, an upgraded HVAC system for the Technology Building, a new roof for the PE Building, and all new parking lots and campus roadways. The projects are funded 50/50 by Herkimer County and New York State. Additionally, the College has recently replaced furniture in classrooms and student spaces throughout campus.

Through New York State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), the village of Herkimer has been awarded $10 million. One of the proposed projects is for the College to establish a new HVAC laboratory located in the village. An award announcement is anticipated in Spring 2025.

This is an exciting time in the Mohawk Valley region. The influx of new investment in our region is an opportunity for innovation and growth in technology, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and more. Several new distribution centers, a new entertainment center featuring three ice rinks, a new chip-fab plant, and a new state-of-the art hospital are all within 20 miles of Herkimer College. This is truly the right place at the best time.