Founded in 1946 as the Triple Cities College of Syracuse University, Harpur College soon established an identity all its own. In 1950, ground was broken in Vestal on 600 acres of land overlooking the Susquehanna River and the College was given a new name, Harpur, after Robert Harpur, a Colonial teacher, patriot and pioneer. The task of moving from Endicott, where the College had been housed in a mansion (the Colonial Building) and tin Quonset huts, proceeded slowly. For over a decade students commuted between Vestal and Endicott to attend classes. Finally, in 1961, the move from Endicott to Vestal was complete.

In 1965 the College officially became a university, The State University of New York at Binghamton. The Binghamton campus was named one of the four University Centers. Today Harpur College, the liberal arts and sciences college, continues to be the backbone of Binghamton University.

Harpur College offers students access to multi-dimensional education through its 25 academic departments and 13 interdisciplinary programs. Within the departments and programs students will find state-of-the-art science and computer laboratories, language technology classrooms, broad spectrum humanities, multi-cultural studies, cutting edge theatre arts, nationally recognized voice and instrument instruction, and distance learning. Harpur College also serves as a bridge to multi-disciplinary courses in the Decker School of Nursing, Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School of Management, and the School of Education and Human Development.

Harpur College has always had a reputation for being academically challenging. By the 1960's Harpur College could boast that the majority of students admitted were in the upper 25 percent of their high school graduating class. Today competition for admission to Harpur College still remains strong. For freshmen entering Harpur in the fall of 1998, the average SATs were 600 for verbal and 616 for math. Fifty percent of entering freshmen were ranked in the top 10% of their high school graduating class. While students are attracted to Harpur College because of its strong academic standing, there remains a sense of community that lasts long after graduation.

Harpur College takes pride in personalizing the educational experience. Faculty from the College participate in the University Mentoring Program, which provides non-classroom contact between faculty and students. On graduation weekend the College hosts a Recognition Ceremony, where every graduating Harpur College student is personally congratulated for their achievements during their four years at Harpur College. Students may invite an unlimited number of family members or friends to share the thrill of this public recognition for attaining an undergraduate degree at one of the most well-respected public colleges in the nation.