Smith College vs. City College of New York

Should I go to Smith College or CUNY City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Smith College or City College of New York 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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Smith College vs. CUNY City College comparison
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Smith College CUNY City College
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Overview

 Smith College City College of New York
Location Northampton, MA New York, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,830 15,012
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #67 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website smith.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Smith College City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $61,260 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $61,260 $14,880
Room & Board $21,310 $18,104
Avg Net Price $27,823 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $54,311 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 86%

Admission

 Smith College City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,869 31,988
Admitted 1,947 18,576
Acceptance Rate 19.7% 58.1%
Enrolled % 33.3% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.2
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/34
SAT Range 1408/1540 1220/1460
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Smith College City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Smith College City College of New York
Graduation Rate 85% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $196 $117

Diversity

 Smith College City College of New York
% Men 2% 7%
% Women 10% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 15%
% Black 5% 16%
% Hispanic 10% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 14% 6%
% Unknown Race 8% 0%

Students

 Smith College City College of New York
% In-State 15% 87%
% Out-of-State 74% 0%

Campus

 Smith College City College of New York
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY City College is larger than than Smith College based on total student enrollment (15,012 students vs. 2,830 students)

Smith College vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Smith College or City College of New York?

  • Smith College is 784% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($61,260.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 311.7% higher at Smith College than CUNY City College ($61,260.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than Smith College ($4,599 vs. $27,823)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY City College are 17.7% lower than costs at Smith College ($18,104 vs. $21,310)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than Smith College (86% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Smith College students is 488% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($54,311 vs. $9,236)

Smith College vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Smith College students have a 0.8 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than Smith College (19.7%)

Smith College vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Smith College or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and Smith College.

  • The graduation rate at Smith College is higher than CUNY City College (85% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from CUNY City College earn on average $900 more per year than Smith College graduates after ten years. ($49,800 vs. $48,900)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $7,600 lower median federal student loan debt than Smith College graduates. ($11,400 vs. $19,000)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $79 less per month on federal student loans than Smith College graduates. ($117 vs. $196)
  • More Smith College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 52%)

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