John Jay vs. Union College

Comparable Facts

Compare CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, NY with Union College in Schenectady, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is larger than Union College based on total student enrollment (13,763 students vs. 2,065 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is located in New York, NY (Large City setting); Union College is in Schenectady, NY (Small City setting).
• CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Union College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice 16:1; Union College 9:1.

John Jay vs. Union College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, John Jay or Union College? 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 John Jay College of Criminal Justice than Union College ($4,082 vs. $42,137).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Union College are 23.6% lower than at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($17,010 vs. $22,260).
• Union College is 824.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than John Jay (about $61,569 more per year; $69,039.00 vs. $7,470.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 347.7% higher at Union College than at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (about $53,619 more per year; $69,039.00 vs. $15,420.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Union College than at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (96% vs. 87%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Union College students is 326.8% larger than aid received by CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice students ($42,534 vs. $9,966).

John Jay vs. Union College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, John Jay or Union College? 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 Union College and John Jay.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Union College (1400) is 320 points higher than at John Jay (1080).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice 930/1220; Union College 1310/1480.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUnion College 29/33.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: John Jay - Test optional; Union College - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Union College Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Union College students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at John Jay (3.24).
• John Jay has a higher acceptance rate (57.1%) than Union College (43.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at John Jay vs. 13.9% at Union College.

John Jay vs. Union College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for John Jay and Union College? 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).

• Union College's six-year graduation rate (86%) is higher than CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice's (39%).
• Graduates from Union College earn a median of about $26,300 more per year than John Jay graduates about ten years after starting college ($74,200 vs. $47,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice graduates have a $17,000 lower median loan debt than Union College graduates ($10,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, John Jay graduates have an estimated $176 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Union College graduates ($103 vs. $279).
• More Union College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former John Jay students, three years after graduation. (86% 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.