Purchase College vs. William & Mary

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

Purchase College William & Mary
Location Purchase, NY Williamsburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,229 9,762
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #297 #69
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu wm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Purchase College William & Mary
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $18,252
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $42,053
Room & Board $15,400 $14,555
Avg Net Price $18,651 $20,422
Avg Grant Aid $9,627 $20,908
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 40%

Admission

Purchase College William & Mary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,221 17,548
Admitted 5,259 5,741
Acceptance Rate 72.8% 32.7%
Enrolled % 14.8% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.85
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 27/32 32/34
SAT Range 1178/1363 1365/1510
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, 2026 Jan 2, 2026

Academics

Purchase College William & Mary
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 (24%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

Purchase College William & Mary
Graduation Rate 56% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $68,700
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $232 $201

Diversity

Purchase College William & Mary
% Men 1% 12%
% Women 1% 17%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 59%
% Black 10% 7%
% Hispanic 18% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 7% 6%

Students

Purchase College William & Mary
% In-State 78% 60%
% Out-of-State 21% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • College of William and Mary is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (9,762 students vs. 3,229 students)

Purchase College vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or William & Mary?

  • College of William and Mary is 158.2% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($18,252.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 147.7% higher at William & Mary than SUNY at Purchase College ($42,053.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than William & Mary ($18,651 vs. $20,422)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of William and Mary are 5.8% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($14,555 vs. $15,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than College of William and Mary (72% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of William and Mary students is 117.2% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($20,908 vs. $9,627)

Purchase College vs. William & Mary Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of William and Mary (1353) is 271 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming William & Mary students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Purchase College (25)
  • Accepted freshman William & Mary students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than William & Mary (32.7%)

Purchase College vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College or William & Mary? 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 William & Mary and Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at William & Mary is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (91% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from College of William and Mary earn on average $28,500 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($68,700 vs. $40,200)
  • College of William and Mary students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $22,500)
  • William & Mary graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($201 vs. $232)
  • More William & Mary graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 65%)

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