University at Albany- SUNY vs. Buffalo State College

Should I go to SUNY at Albany or SUNY College at Buffalo? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University at Albany- SUNY or Buffalo State 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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SUNY at Albany vs. SUNY College at Buffalo comparison
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Overview

University at Albany- SUNY Buffalo State College
Location Albany, NY Buffalo, NY
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 16,880 6,470
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #242 #609
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website albany.edu buffalostate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University at Albany- SUNY Buffalo State College
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $25,660 $17,490
Room & Board $16,182 $16,716
Avg Net Price $19,165 $13,735
Avg Grant Aid $9,747 $8,921
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 88%

Admission

University at Albany- SUNY Buffalo State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,740 15,943
Admitted 21,477 12,096
Acceptance Rate 69.9% 75.9%
Enrolled % 13.2% 12%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 2.84
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Difficult Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/31
SAT Range 1120/1320 960/1190
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 1, 2026

Academics

University at Albany- SUNY Buffalo State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Education (26%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

University at Albany- SUNY Buffalo State College
Graduation Rate 64% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,800 $40,700
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,065 $21,409
Median Loan Payment $217 $221

Diversity

University at Albany- SUNY Buffalo State College
% Men 11% 4%
% Women 17% 10%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 51%
% Black 16% 28%
% Hispanic 15% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

University at Albany- SUNY Buffalo State College
% In-State 93% 94%
% Out-of-State 4% 3%

Campus

University at Albany- SUNY Buffalo State College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY at Albany is larger than than Buffalo State College based on total student enrollment (16,880 students vs. 6,470 students)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. Buffalo State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University at Albany- SUNY or Buffalo State College?

  • SUNY at Albany and Buffalo State College cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.7% higher at University at Albany- SUNY than SUNY College at Buffalo ($25,660.00 vs. $17,490.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College at Buffalo than University at Albany- SUNY ($13,735 vs. $19,165)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Albany are 3.3% lower than costs at SUNY College at Buffalo ($16,182 vs. $16,716)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Albany than SUNY College at Buffalo (93% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Albany students is 9.3% larger than aid received SUNY College at Buffalo ($9,747 vs. $8,921)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. Buffalo State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University at Albany- SUNY or Buffalo State College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Buffalo State College or University at Albany- SUNY .

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Albany (1091) is 190 points higher than at Buffalo State College (901)
  • Incoming University at Albany- SUNY students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Buffalo State College (19)
  • Accepted freshman University at Albany- SUNY students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Buffalo State College (2.84)
  • Buffalo State College has a higher acceptance rate (75.9%) than University at Albany- SUNY (69.9%)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. Buffalo State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University at Albany- SUNY or Buffalo State 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 Buffalo State College and University at Albany- SUNY.

  • The graduation rate at University at Albany- SUNY is higher than SUNY College at Buffalo (64% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from SUNY at Albany earn on average $15,100 more per year than Buffalo State College graduates after ten years. ($55,800 vs. $40,700)
  • SUNY at Albany students graduate with a $344 lower median federal student loan debt than Buffalo State College graduates. ($21,065 vs. $21,409)
  • University at Albany- SUNY graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than Buffalo State College graduates. ($217 vs. $221)
  • More University at Albany- SUNY graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Buffalo State College students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 59%)

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