NCC, the largest of the 30 SUNY community colleges, maintains a nationwide reputation for academic excellence and ease of transferability to four-year institutions. The College offers the A.A. degree in Liberal Arts focused on humanities and social sciences, the A.S. degree in Liberal Arts emphasizing mathematics and laboratory sciences, specialized A.A. and A.S. transfer degrees, and A.A.S. degrees and certificate programs designed to serve immediate employment goals of students. Intern/work-study opportunities with local, national, and international businesses and organizations are available for students in both career and liberal arts programs.

NCC prides itself on its small classes taught by highly qualified and accomplished faculty. To accommodate student needs, programs and classes are offered day and evening and in the Weekend College. In addition to instruction on campus, students can enroll in off-campus, study abroad, and distance learning courses.