Purchase College vs. Olin College

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

Purchase College Olin College
Location Purchase, NY Needham, MA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,229 402
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #297
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu olin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Purchase College Olin College
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $59,972
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $59,972
Room & Board $15,400 $19,820
Avg Net Price $18,651 $40,370
Avg Grant Aid $9,627 $41,116
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 100%

Admission

Purchase College Olin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,221 928
Admitted 5,259 201
Acceptance Rate 72.8% 21.7%
Enrolled % 14.8% 48.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.9
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 27/32 34/35
SAT Range 1178/1363 1480/1560
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 1, 2026

Academics

Purchase College Olin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (100%)

Outcomes

Purchase College Olin College
Graduation Rate 56% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 65% -
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $14,710
Median Loan Payment $232 $152

Diversity

Purchase College Olin College
% Men 1% 4%
% Women 1% 3%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 53%
% Black 10% 0%
% Hispanic 18% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 2% 8%
% Unknown Race 7% 11%

Students

Purchase College Olin College
% In-State 78% 12%
% Out-of-State 21% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY at Purchase College is larger than than Olin College based on total student enrollment (3,229 students vs. 402 students)

Purchase College vs. Olin College Cost Comparison

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

  • Olin College of Engineering is 748.3% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($59,972.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 253.2% higher at Olin College than SUNY at Purchase College ($59,972.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Olin College ($18,651 vs. $40,370)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 28.7% lower than costs at Olin College of Engineering ($15,400 vs. $19,820)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olin College of Engineering than SUNY at Purchase College (100% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Olin College of Engineering students is 327.1% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($41,116 vs. $9,627)

Purchase College vs. Olin College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Olin College of Engineering (1506) is 424 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming Olin College students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Purchase College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Olin College students have a 0.53 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than Olin College (21.7%)

Purchase College vs. Olin College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College or Olin 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 Olin College and Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Olin College is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (96% vs. 56%)
  • Olin College of Engineering students graduate with a $7,790 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($14,710 vs. $22,500)
  • Olin College graduates are paying $80 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($152 vs. $232)

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