Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled a plan to offer free community college tuition for adult learners ages 25 to 55 in New York state.

The governor highlighted her proposal at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse to showcase the region’s readiness for Micron to support New York state as a global hub for Semiconductor manufacturing and R&D. The plan, part of Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State, furthers her commitment to creating more workforce development opportunities to ensure every New Yorker has the opportunity to pursue a degree or credential for jobs in high-demand fields.

“When my dad got a college education, our whole family got a shot at a better life – and I want New Yorkers to have that opportunity,” she said. “Under my plan, every New Yorker will have the chance to pursue a free associate degree at SUNY and CUNY community colleges to help fill the in-demand jobs of tomorrow.”

Hochul said she is steadfast in her commitment to making higher education more affordable and building the workforce that New York needs. The FY 2025 Enacted Budget included an historic expansion of the Tuition Assistance Program to help more New Yorkers cover the cost of college. Additionally, the Governor has continued to expand workforce development, apprenticeship, and micro credential programs to prepare New Yorkers for in-demand jobs. The Governor’s free community college proposal, NYS Opportunity Promise, is the next level of this commitment by making an associate degree more affordable and obtainable.

Across the state, there are more than 4 million working-age adults who do not have a college degree or credential. The proposal would cover tuition, fees, and books at any SUNY or CUNY community college for these adult learners who have never earned a degree and are pursuing an associate degree in a high demand field, including nursing, teaching, technology, and engineering.

“SUNY’s community colleges are incredible engines of upward mobility, and Governor Hochul’s Free Community College plan will literally change the lives of New Yorkers seeking a degree in a high-demand field,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “SUNY campuses like Onondaga Community College are leading the way in meeting the needs of our adult learners and regional employers.”

Upstate has been designated as a National Workforce Hub to dramatically expand domestic memory chip manufacturing in the United States. Federal and state incentives played a key role in securing Micron’s $100 billion investment in the White Pine Industrial Park in the town of Clay in Onondaga County – one of the largest economic development projects in U.S. history.

In total, the project is expected to create nearly 50,000 jobs statewide, including an average of 5,600 construction jobs per year paying federal prevailing wage. When complete, the complex will include the nation’s largest clean room space at approximately 2.4 million square feet, grow domestic semiconductor manufacturing, and enhance our national security by expanding the United States’ chipmaking capacity.

Additionally, Hochul announced earlier this month that GlobalFoundries, a semiconductor manufacturer in Saratoga County, will invest $575 million to build a new center for advanced packaging and testing, along with $186 million for research and development at its Malta facility over the next decade.

Since Micron announced it was building the largest semiconductor facility in Clay, Onondaga Community College has seen significant changes in enrollment in workforce development programs leading to direct jobs in the industry, as well as programs preparing New Yorkers for indirect job opportunities.