The college began in 1919 as the business school of City College, but in 1968, Baruch became a separate institution. Business remains the college's main focus; of the approximately 15,000 students attending Baruch, 13,000 study business. About a third of all the certified public accountants in New York City are Baruch alumni. Baruch also has programs in education and the liberal arts and sciences. The college operates on a semester calendar and awards bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. About 90 percent of the full-time faculty hold doctorates.

Almost all students are state residents. About a third of the 12,300 undergraduates attend part-time, and many are over the age of 25. Women outnumber men. Despite being a commuter institution, the college offers an array of extracurricular activities, including fraternities and sororities, a campus radio station, publications, performance groups, and intramural sports. Varsity sports teams compete in Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. School colors are blue and white.