City College of New York vs. SUNY Stony Brook

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

 City College of New York SUNY Stony Brook
Location New York, NY Stony Brook, NY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,012 25,865
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #276 #141
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuny.edu stonybrook.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 City College of New York SUNY Stony Brook
Tuition (In State) $6,930 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $14,880 $26,860
Room & Board $18,104 $17,662
Avg Net Price $4,599 $18,601
Avg Grant Aid $9,236 $10,266
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 82%

Admission

 City College of New York SUNY Stony Brook
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 31,988 50,341
Admitted 18,576 24,670
Acceptance Rate 58.1% 49%
Enrolled % 14.4% 14.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.94
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/33
SAT Range 1220/1460 1320/1490
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 15, 2026

Academics

 City College of New York SUNY Stony Brook
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (9%)

Outcomes

 City College of New York SUNY Stony Brook
Graduation Rate 40% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,800 $59,300
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,400 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $117 $196

Diversity

 City College of New York SUNY Stony Brook
% Men 7% 14%
% Women 11% 18%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 15% 36%
% Black 16% 7%
% Hispanic 35% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 6% 13%
% Unknown Race 0% 7%

Students

 City College of New York SUNY Stony Brook
% In-State 87% 83%
% Out-of-State 0% 9%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Stony Brook University is larger than than City College of New York based on total student enrollment (25,865 students vs. 15,012 students)

City College of New York vs. SUNY Stony Brook Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, City College of New York or SUNY Stony Brook?

  • Stony Brook University is 2% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80.5% higher at SUNY Stony Brook than CUNY City College ($26,860.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than SUNY Stony Brook ($4,599 vs. $18,601)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Stony Brook University are 2.5% lower than costs at CUNY City College ($17,662 vs. $18,104)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than Stony Brook University (86% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Stony Brook University students is 11.2% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($10,266 vs. $9,236)

City College of New York vs. SUNY Stony Brook Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Stony Brook University (1271) is 146 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman SUNY Stony Brook students have a 0.74 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than SUNY Stony Brook (49%)

City College of New York vs. SUNY Stony Brook Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, City College of New York or SUNY Stony Brook? 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 SUNY Stony Brook and City College of New York.

  • The graduation rate at SUNY Stony Brook is higher than CUNY City College (67% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Stony Brook University earn on average $9,500 more per year than City College of New York graduates after ten years. ($59,300 vs. $49,800)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $7,600 lower median federal student loan debt than SUNY Stony Brook graduates. ($11,400 vs. $19,000)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $79 less per month on federal student loans than SUNY Stony Brook graduates. ($117 vs. $196)
  • More SUNY Stony Brook graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 52%)

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