Culinary Institute of America vs. Purchase College

Should I go to Culinary Institute of America or SUNY at Purchase College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Culinary Institute of America or Purchase College 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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Culinary Institute of America vs. SUNY at Purchase College comparison
Culinary Institute of America SUNY at Purchase College College 3 College 4
Culinary Institute of America SUNY at Purchase College
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Overview

Culinary Institute of America Purchase College
Location Hyde Park, NY Purchase, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,104 3,229
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #297
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ciachef.edu purchase.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Culinary Institute of America Purchase College
Tuition (In State) $35,520 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $35,520 $16,980
Room & Board $13,680 $15,400
Avg Net Price $36,015 $18,651
Avg Grant Aid $18,211 $9,627
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 72%

Admission

Culinary Institute of America Purchase College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,161 7,221
Admitted 1,983 5,259
Acceptance Rate 91.8% 72.8%
Enrolled % 34.3% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.26 3.37
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/25 27/32
SAT Range 970/1195 1178/1363
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 Jul 1, 2026

Academics

Culinary Institute of America Purchase College
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Personal and Culinary Services (78%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

Culinary Institute of America Purchase College
Graduation Rate - 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,600 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $155 $232

Diversity

Culinary Institute of America Purchase College
% Men 2% 1%
% Women 2% 1%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 52% 55%
% Black 5% 10%
% Hispanic 17% 18%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 12% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

Culinary Institute of America Purchase College
% In-State 18% 78%
% Out-of-State 70% 21%

Campus

Culinary Institute of America 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 Culinary Institute of America based on total student enrollment (3,229 students vs. 3,104 students)

Culinary Institute of America vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Culinary Institute of America or Purchase College?

  • Culinary Institute of America is 402.4% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($35,520.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 109.2% higher at Culinary Institute of America than SUNY at Purchase College ($35,520.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Culinary Institute of America ($18,651 vs. $36,015)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Culinary Institute of America are 12.6% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($13,680 vs. $15,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Culinary Institute of America than SUNY at Purchase College (98% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Culinary Institute of America students is 89.2% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($18,211 vs. $9,627)

Culinary Institute of America vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Culinary Institute of America or Purchase College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Purchase College or Culinary Institute of America .

  • Accepted freshman Purchase College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Culinary Institute of America (3.26)
  • Culinary Institute of America has a higher acceptance rate (91.8%) than Purchase College (72.8%)

Culinary Institute of America vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Culinary Institute of America 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 Culinary Institute of America.

  • Graduates from Culinary Institute of America earn on average $6,400 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($46,600 vs. $40,200)
  • Culinary Institute of America students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($15,000 vs. $22,500)
  • Culinary Institute of America graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($155 vs. $232)
  • More Culinary Institute of America graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 65%)

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