LaGuardia vs. Suffolk County Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Suffolk County Community College is larger than LaGuardia based on total student enrollment (19,973 students vs. 14,494 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• CUNY LaGuardia Community College is located in Long Island City, NY (Large City setting); Suffolk County Community College is in Selden, NY (Large Suburban setting).
• CUNY LaGuardia Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Suffolk County Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: CUNY LaGuardia Community College 19:1; Suffolk County Community College 25:1.

LaGuardia vs. Suffolk County Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LaGuardia or Suffolk County 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 Suffolk County Community College than LaGuardia ($4,965 vs. $6,983).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Suffolk County Community College are 86.4% lower than at CUNY LaGuardia Community College ($3,374 vs. $24,731).
• Suffolk County Community College is 27.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than LaGuardia (about $1,412 more per year; $6,630.00 vs. $5,218.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 53.9% higher at Suffolk County Community College than at CUNY LaGuardia Community College (about $4,362 more per year; $12,460.00 vs. $8,098.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at CUNY LaGuardia Community College than at Suffolk County Community College (86% vs. 59%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Suffolk County Community College students is 15.6% larger than aid received by CUNY LaGuardia Community College students ($7,393 vs. $6,396).

LaGuardia vs. Suffolk County Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, LaGuardia or Suffolk County Community College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Suffolk County 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; Suffolk County Community College - Open admission.

LaGuardia vs. Suffolk County Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for LaGuardia and Suffolk County Community College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Suffolk County Community College earn a median of about $4,200 more per year than LaGuardia graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,900 vs. $36,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, CUNY LaGuardia Community College graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Suffolk County Community College graduates ($5,500 vs. $7,500).
• Among borrowers, LaGuardia graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Suffolk County Community College graduates ($56 vs. $77).
• More Suffolk County Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LaGuardia students, three years after graduation. (55% 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.