What is the difference between SUNY and CUNY schools in NYC?

CUNY schools are primarily under NYC's jurisdiction, but also receive state and federal subsidies, in addition to private donations for academic programs and endowment development.  SUNY schools in NYC, are not under the same NYC jurisdiction that their CUNY counterparts are, even though the one(s) you're referencing are geographically located, within the same city. As far as funding goes, I'm not sure, but the CUNY's on average are significantly less expensive, even for the same degrees.  But be warned: The academic quality among the schools varies widely, within and across each system.  So it's best to research each school in-depth as the primary barometer, as opposed to just comparing systems. Some CUNYs are better than some SUNYs and vice versa.  It's more contingent upon your desired field.  For example, if someone has to choose a specific law school between SUNY and CUNY, then U. Albany and U. Buffalo automatically rule out CUNY Law, as an option (unless its a safety).  For business school, Baruch College, which is a CUNY would be a comparable choice to SUNY Binghamton.

CUNY’s campuses grant 2-year, 4-year, and graduate degrees in all sorts of subjects. They’re all in NYC.SUNY has such general-purpose campuses outside NYC, but its NYC locations are all very specialized: http://www.fitnyc.edu/ , http://www.downstate.edu/, http://www.sunyopt.edu/, http://www.sunymaritime.edu/