Amherst vs. Syracuse

Should I go to Amherst College or Syracuse University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Amherst or Syracuse is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Amherst College vs. Syracuse University comparison
Amherst College Syracuse University College 3 College 4
Amherst College Syracuse University
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Overview

Amherst Syracuse
Location Amherst, MA Syracuse, NY
Setting Town Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 1,910 22,948
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #160
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu syr.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Syracuse
Tuition (In State) $66,650 $61,310
Tuition (Out of State) $66,650 $61,310
Room & Board $17,560 $18,444
Avg Net Price $17,965 $51,520
Avg Grant Aid $65,623 $29,110
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 82%

Admission

Amherst Syracuse
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,727 42,089
Admitted 1,250 17,545
Acceptance Rate 9.8% 41.7%
Enrolled % 39% 20.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.69
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 31/35 28/32
SAT Range 1360/1550 1260/1430
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, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

Amherst Syracuse
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Amherst Syracuse
Graduation Rate 96% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $65,900
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $134 $279

Diversity

Amherst Syracuse
% Men 0% 14%
% Women 0% 17%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 55%
% Black 12% 8%
% Hispanic 13% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 12%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Amherst Syracuse
% In-State 9% 32%
% Out-of-State 77% 57%

Campus

Amherst Syracuse
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

  • Syracuse University is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (22,948 students vs. 1,910 students)

Amherst vs. Syracuse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Syracuse?

  • Amherst College is 8.7% more expensive to attend than Syracuse for in-state tuition ($66,650.00 vs. $61,310.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.7% higher at Amherst than Syracuse University ($66,650.00 vs. $61,310.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Syracuse ($17,965 vs. $51,520)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 5% lower than costs at Syracuse University ($17,560 vs. $18,444)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Syracuse University than Amherst College (82% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 125.4% larger than aid received Syracuse University ($65,623 vs. $29,110)

Amherst vs. Syracuse Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or Syracuse? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Syracuse or Amherst .

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 256 points higher than at Syracuse (1195)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Syracuse (27)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Syracuse (3.69)
  • Syracuse has a higher acceptance rate (41.7%) than Amherst (9.8%)

Amherst vs. Syracuse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or Syracuse? 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 Syracuse and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Syracuse University (96% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $16,100 more per year than Syracuse graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $65,900)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $14,025 lower median federal student loan debt than Syracuse graduates. ($12,975 vs. $27,000)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $145 less per month on federal student loans than Syracuse graduates. ($134 vs. $279)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Syracuse students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 80%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/