University at Albany- SUNY vs. SUNY Poly

Should I go to SUNY at Albany or SUNY Polytechnic Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University at Albany- SUNY or SUNY Poly 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 Polytechnic Institute comparison
SUNY at Albany SUNY Polytechnic Institute College 3 College 4
SUNY at Albany SUNY Polytechnic Institute
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Overview

 University at Albany- SUNY SUNY Poly
Location Albany, NY Utica, NY
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 16,880 2,704
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #242 #307
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website albany.edu sunyit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 University at Albany- SUNY SUNY Poly
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $25,660 $18,720
Room & Board $16,182 $14,750
Avg Net Price $19,165 $14,646
Avg Grant Aid $9,747 $8,137
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 90%

Admission

 University at Albany- SUNY SUNY Poly
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,740 4,936
Admitted 21,477 3,872
Acceptance Rate 69.9% 78.4%
Enrolled % 13.2% 10%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/31 24/27
SAT Range 1120/1320 1150/1330
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 University at Albany- SUNY SUNY Poly
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering Technology (20%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

 University at Albany- SUNY SUNY Poly
Graduation Rate 64% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,800 $53,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,065 $16,585
Median Loan Payment $217 $171

Diversity

 University at Albany- SUNY SUNY Poly
% Men 11% 11%
% Women 17% 19%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 49% 79%
% Black 16% 6%
% Hispanic 15% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 University at Albany- SUNY SUNY Poly
% In-State 93% 95%
% Out-of-State 4% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY at Albany is larger than than SUNY Poly based on total student enrollment (16,880 students vs. 2,704 students)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. SUNY Poly Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University at Albany- SUNY or SUNY Poly?

  • SUNY at Albany and SUNY Poly cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.1% higher at University at Albany- SUNY than SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($25,660.00 vs. $18,720.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than University at Albany- SUNY ($14,646 vs. $19,165)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Polytechnic Institute are 9.7% lower than costs at SUNY at Albany ($14,750 vs. $16,182)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Albany than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (93% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Albany students is 19.8% larger than aid received SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($9,747 vs. $8,137)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. SUNY Poly Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY Polytechnic Institute (1141) is 50 points higher than at University at Albany- SUNY (1091)
  • Incoming SUNY Poly students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (24)
  • Accepted freshman SUNY Poly students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (3.3)
  • SUNY Poly has a higher acceptance rate (78.4%) than University at Albany- SUNY (69.9%)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. SUNY Poly Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University at Albany- SUNY or SUNY Poly? 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 SUNY Poly and University at Albany- SUNY.

  • The graduation rate at University at Albany- SUNY is higher than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (64% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from SUNY at Albany earn on average $2,600 more per year than SUNY Poly graduates after ten years. ($55,800 vs. $53,200)
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute students graduate with a $4,480 lower median federal student loan debt than University at Albany- SUNY graduates. ($16,585 vs. $21,065)
  • SUNY Poly graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than University at Albany- SUNY graduates. ($171 vs. $217)
  • More University at Albany- SUNY graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Poly students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 63%)

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