Howard vs. Purchase College

Should I go to Howard University or SUNY at Purchase College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Howard or Purchase College 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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Howard University vs. SUNY at Purchase College comparison
Howard University SUNY at Purchase College College 3 College 4
Howard University SUNY at Purchase College
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Overview

Howard Purchase College
Location Washington, DC Purchase, NY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 12,886 3,182
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #318 #319
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu purchase.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Howard Purchase College
Tuition (In State) $30,584 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $30,584 $16,980
Room & Board $15,880 $14,948
Avg Net Price $28,279 $19,434
Avg Grant Aid $20,063 $10,312
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 73%

Admission

Howard Purchase College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,188 5,747
Admitted 10,253 4,292
Acceptance Rate 53.4% 74.7%
Enrolled % 24.3% 16%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.37
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 29/31
SAT Range 1050/1290 1190/1350
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 15, 2025 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

Howard Purchase College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

Howard Purchase College
Graduation Rate 63% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $232

Diversity

Howard Purchase College
% Men 29% 42%
% Women 71% 58%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 55%
% Black 91% 10%
% Hispanic 0% 18%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 5%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 7%

Students

Howard Purchase College
% In-State 1% 85%
% Out-of-State 91% 14%

Campus

Howard Purchase College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Howard University is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (12,886 students vs. 3,182 students)

Howard vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or Purchase College?

  • Howard University is 332.6% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($30,584.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80.1% higher at Howard than SUNY at Purchase College ($30,584.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Howard ($19,434 vs. $28,279)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 6.2% lower than costs at Howard University ($14,948 vs. $15,880)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than SUNY at Purchase College (99% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 94.6% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($20,063 vs. $10,312)

Howard vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard or Purchase College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Purchase College or Howard .

  • The average SAT score at Howard University (1105) is 23 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Howard (24)
  • Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than Howard (53.4%)

Howard vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Howard or Purchase College? 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 Purchase College and Howard.

  • The graduation rate at Howard is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (63% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Howard University earn on average $11,600 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More Purchase College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 33%)

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