City College of New York vs. Sarah Lawrence

Deciding between CUNY City College and Sarah Lawrence College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

CUNY City College
Sarah Lawrence College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • City College of New York New York, NY
  • Sarah Lawrence Bronxville, NY
  • Setting
  • City College of New York Large City
  • Sarah Lawrence Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • City College of New York 15,544
  • Sarah Lawrence 1,798
  • Type
  • City College of New York Public 4 Year
  • Sarah Lawrence Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • City College of New York #313
  • Sarah Lawrence #144
  • Religious Affiliation
  • City College of New York -
  • Sarah Lawrence -
  • Status
  • City College of New York Non-profit
  • Sarah Lawrence Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • City College of New York
  • Sarah Lawrence

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • City College of New York $7,340
  • Sarah Lawrence $66,862
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • City College of New York $15,290
  • Sarah Lawrence $66,862
  • Room & Board
  • City College of New York $18,840
  • Sarah Lawrence $18,426
  • Average Net Price
  • City College of New York $4,664
  • Sarah Lawrence $43,629
  • Average Grant Aid
  • City College of New York $9,763
  • Sarah Lawrence $38,838
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • City College of New York 88%
  • Sarah Lawrence 90%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • City College of New York 34,322
  • Sarah Lawrence 4,617
  • Admitted
  • City College of New York 20,600
  • Sarah Lawrence 2,850
  • Acceptance Rate
  • City College of New York 60%
  • Sarah Lawrence 61.7%
  • Enrolled
  • City College of New York 12.3%
  • Sarah Lawrence 14.6%
  • Typical SAT score
  • City College of New York 1250
  • Sarah Lawrence 1340
  • Typical ACT score
  • City College of New York
  • Sarah Lawrence 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • City College of New York 3.2
  • Sarah Lawrence 3.75
  • Typical High School Grades
  • City College of New York B+
  • Sarah Lawrence A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • City College of New York Very High
  • Sarah Lawrence Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • City College of New York Low
  • Sarah Lawrence Low
  • ACT Range
  • City College of New York
  • Sarah Lawrence 28/31
  • SAT Range
  • City College of New York 1070/1430
  • Sarah Lawrence 1240/1430
  • Submit Test Scores
  • City College of New York Test optional
  • Sarah Lawrence Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • City College of New York Feb 1, 2027
  • Sarah Lawrence Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • City College of New York 15:1
  • Sarah Lawrence 10:1
  • Popular Majors
  • City College of New York
    • Psychology (15%)
    • Engineering (13%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Sarah Lawrence
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • City College of New York 40%
  • Sarah Lawrence 70%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • City College of New York $49,800
  • Sarah Lawrence $44,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • City College of New York 52%
  • Sarah Lawrence 83%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • City College of New York $11,400
  • Sarah Lawrence $13,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • City College of New York $117
  • Sarah Lawrence $139

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • City College of New York 47%
  • Sarah Lawrence 20%
  • % Women
  • City College of New York 53%
  • Sarah Lawrence 80%
  • Racial Diversity
  • City College of New York Very High
  • Sarah Lawrence High
  • HBCU
  • City College of New York No
  • Sarah Lawrence No
  • % White
  • City College of New York 15%
  • Sarah Lawrence 53%
  • % Asian
  • City College of New York 25%
  • Sarah Lawrence 5%
  • % Black
  • City College of New York 16%
  • Sarah Lawrence 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • City College of New York 35%
  • Sarah Lawrence 10%
  • % Native American
  • City College of New York 0%
  • Sarah Lawrence 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • City College of New York 0%
  • Sarah Lawrence 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • City College of New York 2%
  • Sarah Lawrence 7%
  • % International
  • City College of New York 6%
  • Sarah Lawrence 13%
  • % Unknown Race
  • City College of New York 0%
  • Sarah Lawrence 8%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • City College of New York 83%
  • Sarah Lawrence 15%
  • % Out-of-State
  • City College of New York 0%
  • Sarah Lawrence 78%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • City College of New York Yes
  • Sarah Lawrence Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • City College of New York No
  • Sarah Lawrence No
  • Meal Plan
  • City College of New York No
  • Sarah Lawrence Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • City College of New York No
  • Sarah Lawrence No
  • Daycare Facility
  • City College of New York Yes
  • Sarah Lawrence No

Comparable Facts

Compare CUNY City College in New York, NY with Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

CUNY City College is larger than Sarah Lawrence based on total student enrollment (15,544 students vs. 1,798 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • CUNY City College is located in New York, NY (Large City setting); Sarah Lawrence College is in Bronxville, NY (Large Suburban setting).
  • CUNY City College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Sarah Lawrence College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: CUNY City College 15:1; Sarah Lawrence College 10:1.

City College of New York vs. Sarah Lawrence Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, City College of New York or Sarah Lawrence? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than Sarah Lawrence ($4,664 vs. $43,629).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sarah Lawrence College are 2.2% lower than at CUNY City College ($18,426 vs. $18,840).
  • Sarah Lawrence College is 810.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than City College of New York (about $59,522 more per year; $66,862.00 vs. $7,340.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 337.3% higher at Sarah Lawrence than at CUNY City College (about $51,572 more per year; $66,862.00 vs. $15,290.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sarah Lawrence College than at CUNY City College (90% vs. 88%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sarah Lawrence College students is 297.8% larger than aid received by CUNY City College students ($38,838 vs. $9,763).

City College of New York vs. Sarah Lawrence Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, City College of New York or Sarah Lawrence? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Sarah Lawrence and City College of New York.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Sarah Lawrence College (1340) is 90 points higher than at City College of New York (1250).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: CUNY City College 1070/1430; Sarah Lawrence College 1240/1430.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsSarah Lawrence College 28/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: City College of New York - Test optional; Sarah Lawrence - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: City College of New York Feb 1, 2027; Sarah Lawrence Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Sarah Lawrence students have a 0.55 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at City College of New York (3.2).
  • Sarah Lawrence has a higher acceptance rate (61.7%) than City College of New York (60%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.3% at City College of New York vs. 14.6% at Sarah Lawrence.

City College of New York vs. Sarah Lawrence Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for City College of New York and Sarah Lawrence? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Sarah Lawrence College's six-year graduation rate (70%) is higher than CUNY City College's (40%).
  • Graduates from CUNY City College earn a median of about $5,700 more per year than Sarah Lawrence graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,800 vs. $44,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, CUNY City College graduates have a $2,100 lower median loan debt than Sarah Lawrence graduates ($11,400 vs. $13,500).
  • Among borrowers, City College of New York graduates have an estimated $22 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Sarah Lawrence graduates ($117 vs. $139).
  • More Sarah Lawrence graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.