City College of New York vs. Olin College

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

City College of New York Olin College
Location New York, NY Needham, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,012 402
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuny.edu olin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

City College of New York Olin College
Tuition (In State) $6,930 $59,972
Tuition (Out of State) $14,880 $59,972
Room & Board $18,104 $19,820
Avg Net Price $4,599 $40,370
Avg Grant Aid $9,236 $41,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 100%

Admission

City College of New York Olin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 31,988 928
Admitted 18,576 201
Acceptance Rate 58.1% 21.7%
Enrolled % 14.4% 48.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.9
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 34/35
SAT Range 1220/1460 1480/1560
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 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

City College of New York Olin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Engineering (100%)

Outcomes

City College of New York Olin College
Graduation Rate 40% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,800 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 52% -
Median Student Loan Debt $11,400 $14,710
Median Loan Payment $117 $152

Diversity

City College of New York Olin College
% Men 7% 4%
% Women 11% 3%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 15% 53%
% Black 16% 0%
% Hispanic 35% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 7%
% International 6% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 11%

Students

City College of New York Olin College
% In-State 87% 12%
% Out-of-State 0% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY City College is larger than than Olin College based on total student enrollment (15,012 students vs. 402 students)

City College of New York vs. Olin College Cost Comparison

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

  • Olin College of Engineering is 765.4% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($59,972.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 303% higher at Olin College than CUNY City College ($59,972.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than Olin College ($4,599 vs. $40,370)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY City College are 9.5% lower than costs at Olin College of Engineering ($18,104 vs. $19,820)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olin College of Engineering than CUNY City College (100% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Olin College of Engineering students is 345.2% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($41,116 vs. $9,236)

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

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

  • The average SAT score at Olin College of Engineering (1506) is 381 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman Olin College students have a 0.7 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than Olin College (21.7%)

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

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

  • The graduation rate at Olin College is higher than CUNY City College (96% vs. 40%)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $3,310 lower median federal student loan debt than Olin College graduates. ($11,400 vs. $14,710)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Olin College graduates. ($117 vs. $152)

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