<p>CUNY was free until 1976. It is still a bargain, cheaper than SUNY which is also relatively cheap for out-of-state students.</p>
<p>Although NYC is an expensive place to live, it is certainly possible to live (and dine) within reasonable commuting distance of all SUNY campuses for a lot less than $25-30k/year!</p>
<p>Several of the campuses (Hunter, Baruch, Queens, Brooklyn) have excellent programs.</p>