New York State has opened a new computer-based civil service testing center in Rochester, part of a statewide effort to make it easier for current state employees to advance their careers.
The New York State Department of Civil Service announced the Rochester facility is one of 12 Computer-Based Testing Centers planned across the state by the end of 2027. The centers are intended to provide more convenient access to civil service promotion exams while modernizing the testing process.
The Rochester center is designed to accommodate nearly 90 test-takers at one time and also includes smaller testing rooms for candidates who need reasonable accommodations.
According to the Department of Civil Service, the new testing model will allow promotion exams to be offered more frequently than under the current system, where candidates often have to wait months or longer if they miss a scheduled exam. The computer-based system will also allow eligible employees to schedule exams during available testing windows and receive results more quickly.
State officials say the changes are expected to help agencies maintain a larger pool of qualified candidates for promotions and fill critical public-sector positions more efficiently.
Nearly 8,800 state employees work in the Rochester and Corning region, representing about six percent of New York’s state workforce, according to 2025 data.
The Computer-Based Testing Centers are part of the Department of Civil Service’s broader initiative to modernize New York’s civil service system and improve access to career advancement opportunities for public employees.
The announcement comes as the state continues hiring through its New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide (NY HELPS) program. Officials say more than 60,000 appointments have been made to state and local government positions through the initiative, including more than 42,000 at the state level. Of those, nearly 27,000 people were newly hired into state service.
