Founded in 1966, it is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system and is locally sponsored by two rural counties, Columbia and Greene, which have a combined population of about 112,000.

Two years later, C-GCC awarded 35 associate degrees to its first graduating class during a small ceremony at Catskill High School.

In addition to expanded instructional spaces and administrative offices, the Main Building also included a two-story library, a gymnasium, fitness center, and a cafeteria.

In the spring of 1982, former President of the United States Gerald Ford was invited to the campus as the keynote speaker for a fundraising dinner hosted by the Columbia-Greene Community Foundation.

In 2018, Columbia–Greene Community College began its first expansion project in decades by adding the New Construction Technology Program building on its main campus.