OCC vs. TC3

Deciding between Onondaga Community College and Tompkins Cortland Community College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Onondaga Community College
Tompkins Cortland Community College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • OCC Syracuse, NY
  • TC3 Dryden, NY
  • Setting
  • OCC Large Suburban
  • TC3 Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • OCC 8,537
  • TC3 4,958
  • Type
  • OCC Public 2 Year
  • TC3 Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • OCC
  • TC3
  • Religious Affiliation
  • OCC -
  • TC3 -
  • Status
  • OCC Non-profit
  • TC3 Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • OCC
  • TC3

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • OCC $6,102
  • TC3 $6,970
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • OCC $11,392
  • TC3 $12,855
  • Room & Board
  • OCC $11,862
  • TC3 $11,626
  • Average Net Price
  • OCC $7,788
  • TC3 $12,465
  • Average Grant Aid
  • OCC $8,540
  • TC3 $7,356
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • OCC 74%
  • TC3 80%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • OCC -
  • TC3 -
  • Admitted
  • OCC -
  • TC3 -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • OCC Open
  • TC3 Open
  • Enrolled
  • OCC Open
  • TC3 Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • OCC
  • TC3
  • Typical ACT score
  • OCC
  • TC3
  • Average High School GPA
  • OCC -
  • TC3 -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • OCC -
  • TC3 -
  • Admissions Standards
  • OCC Unavailable
  • TC3 Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • OCC
  • TC3
  • ACT Range
  • OCC
  • TC3
  • SAT Range
  • OCC
  • TC3
  • Submit Test Scores
  • OCC Open admission
  • TC3 Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • OCC
  • TC3 Jul 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • OCC 18:1
  • TC3 12:1
  • Popular Majors
  • OCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (30%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
    • Human Services (10%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
  • TC3
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Work and Family Studies (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • OCC -
  • TC3 -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • OCC $35,100
  • TC3 $33,400
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • OCC 44%
  • TC3 42%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • OCC $10,100
  • TC3 $13,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • OCC $104
  • TC3 $134

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • OCC 48%
  • TC3 43%
  • % Women
  • OCC 52%
  • TC3 57%
  • Racial Diversity
  • OCC Medium
  • TC3 Medium
  • HBCU
  • OCC No
  • TC3 No
  • % White
  • OCC 63%
  • TC3 62%
  • % Asian
  • OCC 3%
  • TC3 1%
  • % Black
  • OCC 18%
  • TC3 14%
  • % Hispanic
  • OCC 7%
  • TC3 11%
  • % Native American
  • OCC 2%
  • TC3 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • OCC 0%
  • TC3 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • OCC 4%
  • TC3 4%
  • % International
  • OCC 1%
  • TC3 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • OCC 3%
  • TC3 6%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • OCC 98%
  • TC3 91%
  • % Out-of-State
  • OCC 2%
  • TC3 5%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • OCC Yes
  • TC3 Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • OCC No
  • TC3 No
  • Meal Plan
  • OCC Yes
  • TC3 Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • OCC Yes
  • TC3 Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • OCC Yes
  • TC3 Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, NY with Tompkins Cortland Community College in Dryden, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Onondaga Community College is larger than TC3 based on total student enrollment (8,537 students vs. 4,958 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Onondaga Community College is located in Syracuse, NY (Large Suburban setting); Tompkins Cortland Community College is in Dryden, NY (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Onondaga Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Tompkins Cortland Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Onondaga Community College 18:1; Tompkins Cortland Community College 12:1.

OCC vs. TC3 Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OCC or TC3? 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 Onondaga Community College than TC3 ($7,788 vs. $12,465).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tompkins Cortland Community College are 2% lower than at Onondaga Community College ($11,626 vs. $11,862).
  • Tompkins Cortland Community College is 14.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than OCC (about $868 more per year; $6,970.00 vs. $6,102.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 12.8% higher at TC3 than at Onondaga Community College (about $1,463 more per year; $12,855.00 vs. $11,392.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Tompkins Cortland Community College than at Onondaga Community College (80% vs. 74%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Onondaga Community College students is 16.1% larger than aid received by Tompkins Cortland Community College students ($8,540 vs. $7,356).

OCC vs. TC3 Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, OCC or TC3? 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 TC3 and OCC.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: OCC - Open admission; TC3 - Open admission.
  • Typical fall application deadline: TC3 Jul 15, 2027.

OCC vs. TC3 Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for OCC and TC3? 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 Onondaga Community College earn a median of about $1,700 more per year than TC3 graduates about ten years after starting college ($35,100 vs. $33,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Onondaga Community College graduates have a $2,900 lower median loan debt than TC3 graduates ($10,100 vs. $13,000).
  • Among borrowers, OCC graduates have an estimated $30 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than TC3 graduates ($104 vs. $134).
  • More OCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TC3 students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 42%)

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.