Elms College vs. City College of New York

Should I go to College of Our Lady of the Elms or CUNY City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Elms College or City College of New York 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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College of Our Lady of the Elms vs. CUNY City College comparison
College of Our Lady of the Elms CUNY City College College 3 College 4
College of Our Lady of the Elms CUNY City College
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Overview

 Elms College City College of New York
Location Chicopee, MA New York, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,332 15,012
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #374 #276
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website elms.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Elms College City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $40,095 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $40,095 $14,880
Room & Board $15,150 $18,104
Avg Net Price $22,311 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $31,015 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 86%

Admission

 Elms College City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,442 31,988
Admitted 1,264 18,576
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 58.1%
Enrolled % 15.5% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.2
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range 1150/1320 1220/1460
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Elms College City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (49%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • History (5%)
  • General Studies (4%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Elms College City College of New York
Graduation Rate 58% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,300 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $258 $117

Diversity

 Elms College City College of New York
% Men 4% 7%
% Women 18% 11%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 15%
% Black 7% 16%
% Hispanic 10% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 24% 0%

Students

 Elms College City College of New York
% In-State 71% 87%
% Out-of-State 26% 0%

Campus

 Elms College City College of New York
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY City College is larger than than Elms College based on total student enrollment (15,012 students vs. 1,332 students)

Elms College vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Elms College or City College of New York?

  • College of Our Lady of the Elms is 478.6% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($40,095.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 169.5% higher at Elms College than CUNY City College ($40,095.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than Elms College ($4,599 vs. $22,311)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Our Lady of the Elms are 19.5% lower than costs at CUNY City College ($15,150 vs. $18,104)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Our Lady of the Elms than CUNY City College (100% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Our Lady of the Elms students is 235.8% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($31,015 vs. $9,236)

Elms College vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Elms College or City College of New York? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between City College of New York or Elms College .

  • The average SAT score at CUNY City College (1125) is 149 points higher than at Elms College (976)
  • Accepted freshman Elms College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • Elms College has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than City College of New York (58.1%)

Elms College vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Elms College or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and Elms College.

  • The graduation rate at Elms College is higher than CUNY City College (58% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from CUNY City College earn on average $3,500 more per year than Elms College graduates after ten years. ($49,800 vs. $46,300)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $13,600 lower median federal student loan debt than Elms College graduates. ($11,400 vs. $25,000)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $141 less per month on federal student loans than Elms College graduates. ($117 vs. $258)
  • More Elms College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 52%)

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