It was founded in 1920 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet as a Catholic women's college, and it became fully co-educational in the 1969–1970 academic year.

The idea for The College of Saint Rose was conceived by Monsignor Joseph A. Delaney, the vicar general of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, in 1920.

Initially, emphasis was placed on the professional training of teachers, but it quickly expanded to include preparation for business and other professions.

[4][5][better source needed] The college created an evening division in 1946 to serve World War II veterans.

During the same period, the college spent an additional $100 million upgrading and improving the properties it acquired, taking on significant debt.

[18] On November 30, 2023, the Albany Times Union reported that the board of trustees had voted to close the College of Saint Rose following the spring semester of 2024.

[19][20] College President Marcia White cited challenging factors that she said were affecting many small independent institutions, particularly in the Northeastern United States, such as years of declining enrollment and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

[25] The campus was sold to the Pine Hills Land Authority, a quasi-public entity created by Albany County, for $35 million, with the deal closing on December 19, 2024.

[27] The campus of The College of Saint Rose was located in the Pine Hills neighborhood of Albany, the capital city of New York.

The 46-acre campus was bounded by Western Avenue to the north, Partridge Street to the east, Morris Street to the south, and Main Avenue to the west, although there was college property north of Western and east of Partridge.

[32][33] St. Joseph Hall is a four-story English brick building with limestone trim fronted by six Corinthian columns.

The structure was built in 1922 at a cost of half a million dollars due to a need for classroom and dining space to house the growing student body.

As the first academic building constructed specifically for the college, St. Joseph Hall originally included an auditorium, classrooms, chapel, dormitory, a dining area and kitchens in the basement.

The Massry Center received a LEED gold award for being one of the most energy-efficient buildings in the Capital Region.

[37] In 2009, the Saint Rose women's soccer became the third team in Northeast-10 Conference history (1985) to win three consecutive postseason league titles.