NYU vs. Lafayette College

Should I go to New York University or Lafayette College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NYU or Lafayette 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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New York University vs. Lafayette College comparison
New York University Lafayette College College 3 College 4
New York University Lafayette College
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Overview

 NYU Lafayette College
Location New York, NY Easton, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 57,335 2,764
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #39 #66
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nyu.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NYU Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $60,438 $61,482
Tuition (Out of State) $60,438 $61,482
Room & Board $22,786 $18,640
Avg Net Price $30,730 $34,728
Avg Grant Aid $48,269 $44,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 52%

Admission

 NYU Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 113,578 9,874
Admitted 10,693 3,107
Acceptance Rate 9.4% 31.5%
Enrolled % 54.4% 22.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 33/35 30/33
SAT Range 1480/1570 1340/1490
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 NYU Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

 NYU Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 86% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $76,000 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $240 $268

Diversity

 NYU Lafayette College
% Men 20% 0%
% Women 28% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 34% 67%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 17% 9%
% Unknown Race 8% 7%

Students

 NYU Lafayette College
% In-State 23% 13%
% Out-of-State 50% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • New York University is larger than than Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (57,335 students vs. 2,764 students)

NYU vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NYU or Lafayette College?

  • Lafayette College is 1.7% more expensive to attend than NYU for in-state tuition ($61,482.00 vs. $60,438.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.7% higher at Lafayette College than New York University ($61,482.00 vs. $60,438.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at New York University than Lafayette College ($30,730 vs. $34,728)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lafayette College are 22.2% lower than costs at New York University ($18,640 vs. $22,786)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than New York University (52% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by New York University students is 9.4% larger than aid received Lafayette College ($48,269 vs. $44,126)

NYU vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at New York University (1360) is 66 points higher than at Lafayette College (1294)
  • Incoming NYU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Lafayette College (29)
  • Accepted freshman NYU students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • Lafayette College has a higher acceptance rate (31.5%) than NYU (9.4%)

NYU vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NYU or Lafayette 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 Lafayette College and NYU.

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than New York University (88% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $5,000 more per year than NYU graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $76,000)
  • New York University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,000)
  • NYU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Lafayette College graduates. ($240 vs. $268)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NYU students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 77%)

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