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Williams Tufts Swarthmore Middlebury Dartmouth Brown Vassar Harvard Hamilton College Wellesley Cornell State University of New York at New Paltz| Amherst College | SUNY at Purchase College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Amherst | Purchase College | ||
| Location | Amherst, MA | Purchase, NY | ||
| Setting | Town Fringe | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 1,898 | 3,182 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #16 | #319 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | amherst.edu | purchase.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Amherst | Purchase College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,500 | $7,070 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,500 | $16,980 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,750 | $14,948 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $21,367 | $19,434 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $58,693 | $10,312 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 58% | 73% |
Admission |
Amherst | Purchase College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 14,864 | 5,747 | ||
| Admitted | 1,079 | 4,292 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 7.3% | 74.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 43.3% | 16% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.91 | 3.37 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | |||
| ACT Range | 32/35 | 29/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1420/1550 | 1190/1350 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 2, 2025 | Jul 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Amherst | Purchase College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Amherst | Purchase College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $82,000 | $40,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 65% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,975 | $22,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $134 | $232 |
Diversity |
Amherst | Purchase College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 48% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 52% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 55% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 18% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 10% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 7% |
Students |
Amherst | Purchase College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 13% | 85% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 74% | 14% | ||
Campus |
Amherst | Purchase College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- SUNY at Purchase College is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (3,182 students vs. 1,898 students)
Amherst vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Purchase College?
- Amherst College is 798.2% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $7,070.00)
- Out of state tuition is 274% higher at Amherst than SUNY at Purchase College ($63,500.00 vs. $16,980.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Amherst ($19,434 vs. $21,367)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 12.1% lower than costs at Amherst College ($14,948 vs. $16,750)
- More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Amherst College (73% vs. 58%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 469.2% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($58,693 vs. $10,312)
Amherst vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or Purchase College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Purchase College or Amherst .
- The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 369 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
- Incoming Amherst students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Purchase College (25)
- Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.54 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
- Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than Amherst (7.3%)
Amherst vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Amherst or Purchase College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Purchase College and Amherst.
- The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (96% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $41,800 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $40,200)
- Amherst College students graduate with a $9,525 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($12,975 vs. $22,500)
- Amherst graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($134 vs. $232)
- More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/