Smith College vs. Purchase College

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

Smith College Purchase College
Location Northampton, MA Purchase, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,830 3,229
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #67 #297
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website smith.edu purchase.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Smith College Purchase College
Tuition (In State) $61,260 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $61,260 $16,980
Room & Board $21,310 $15,400
Avg Net Price $27,823 $18,651
Avg Grant Aid $54,311 $9,627
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 72%

Admission

Smith College Purchase College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,869 7,221
Admitted 1,947 5,259
Acceptance Rate 19.7% 72.8%
Enrolled % 33.3% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.37
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 32/34 27/32
SAT Range 1408/1540 1178/1363
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 Jul 1, 2026

Academics

Smith College Purchase College
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

Smith College Purchase College
Graduation Rate 85% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $196 $232

Diversity

Smith College Purchase College
% Men 2% 1%
% Women 10% 1%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 55%
% Black 5% 10%
% Hispanic 10% 18%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 14% 2%
% Unknown Race 8% 7%

Students

Smith College Purchase College
% In-State 15% 78%
% Out-of-State 74% 21%

Campus

Smith College 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

  • SUNY at Purchase College is larger than than Smith College based on total student enrollment (3,229 students vs. 2,830 students)

Smith College vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Smith College or Purchase College?

  • Smith College is 766.5% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($61,260.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 260.8% higher at Smith College than SUNY at Purchase College ($61,260.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Smith College ($18,651 vs. $27,823)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 38.4% lower than costs at Smith College ($15,400 vs. $21,310)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Smith College (72% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Smith College students is 464.2% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($54,311 vs. $9,627)

Smith College vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Smith College students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than Smith College (19.7%)

Smith College vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Smith College 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 Smith College.

  • The graduation rate at Smith College is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (85% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Smith College earn on average $8,700 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($48,900 vs. $40,200)
  • Smith College students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($19,000 vs. $22,500)
  • Smith College graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($196 vs. $232)
  • More Smith College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 65%)

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