LaGuardia vs. Erie Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare CUNY LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, NY with Erie Community College in Buffalo, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

CUNY LaGuardia Community College is larger than Erie Community College based on total student enrollment (14,494 students vs. 8,090 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• CUNY LaGuardia Community College is located in Long Island City, NY (Large City setting); Erie Community College is in Buffalo, NY (Large City setting).
• CUNY LaGuardia Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Erie Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: CUNY LaGuardia Community College 19:1; Erie Community College 20:1.

LaGuardia vs. Erie Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LaGuardia or Erie Community 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 LaGuardia Community College than Erie Community College ($6,983 vs. $7,155).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Erie Community College are 34% lower than at CUNY LaGuardia Community College ($16,320 vs. $24,731).
• Erie Community College is 116.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than LaGuardia (about $6,082 more per year; $11,300.00 vs. $5,218.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 39.5% higher at Erie Community College than at CUNY LaGuardia Community College (about $3,202 more per year; $11,300.00 vs. $8,098.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at CUNY LaGuardia Community College than at Erie Community College (86% vs. 68%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Erie Community College students is 12.4% larger than aid received by CUNY LaGuardia Community College students ($7,190 vs. $6,396).

LaGuardia vs. Erie Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, LaGuardia or Erie Community 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 Erie Community College and LaGuardia.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: LaGuardia - Open admission; Erie Community College - Open admission.

LaGuardia vs. Erie Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for LaGuardia and Erie Community 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).

• Graduates from CUNY LaGuardia Community College earn a median of about $1,300 more per year than Erie Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,700 vs. $35,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, CUNY LaGuardia Community College graduates have a $2,251 lower median loan debt than Erie Community College graduates ($5,500 vs. $7,751).
• Among borrowers, LaGuardia graduates have an estimated $24 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Erie Community College graduates ($56 vs. $80).
• More Erie Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LaGuardia students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 44%)

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.