Purchase College vs. CNU

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

 Purchase College CNU
Location Purchase, NY Newport News, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 3,182 4,559
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #319 #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu cnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Purchase College CNU
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $9,375
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $22,613
Room & Board $14,948 $11,990
Avg Net Price $19,434 $23,287
Avg Grant Aid $10,312 $8,022
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 66%

Admission

 Purchase College CNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,747 7,428
Admitted 4,292 6,340
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 85.4%
Enrolled % 16% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.79
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 29/31 22/29
SAT Range 1190/1350 1100/1290
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 Jul 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Purchase College CNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)

Outcomes

 Purchase College CNU
Graduation Rate 56% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $47,100
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $258

Diversity

 Purchase College CNU
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 74%
% Black 10% 8%
% Hispanic 18% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 5%

Students

 Purchase College CNU
% In-State 85% 91%
% Out-of-State 14% 6%

Campus

 Purchase College CNU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Christopher Newport University is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (4,559 students vs. 3,182 students)

Purchase College vs. CNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or CNU?

  • Christopher Newport University is 32.6% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($9,375.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.2% higher at CNU than SUNY at Purchase College ($22,613.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than CNU ($19,434 vs. $23,287)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 24.7% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($11,990 vs. $14,948)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Christopher Newport University (73% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 28.5% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($10,312 vs. $8,022)

Purchase College vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Christopher Newport University (1155) is 73 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at CNU (25)
  • Accepted freshman CNU students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • CNU has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than Purchase College (74.7%)

Purchase College vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College or CNU? 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 CNU and Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at CNU is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (63% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Christopher Newport University earn on average $6,900 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($47,100 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than CNU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,000)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than CNU graduates. ($232 vs. $258)
  • More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 65%)

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