Purchase College vs. Lafayette College

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

 Purchase College Lafayette College
Location Purchase, NY Easton, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,229 2,764
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #297 #66
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Purchase College Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $61,482
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $61,482
Room & Board $15,400 $18,640
Avg Net Price $18,651 $34,728
Avg Grant Aid $9,627 $44,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 52%

Admission

 Purchase College Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,221 9,874
Admitted 5,259 3,107
Acceptance Rate 72.8% 31.5%
Enrolled % 14.8% 22.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 27/32 30/33
SAT Range 1178/1363 1340/1490
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Purchase College Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

 Purchase College Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 56% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $268

Diversity

 Purchase College Lafayette College
% Men 1% 0%
% Women 1% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 67%
% Black 10% 5%
% Hispanic 18% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 2% 9%
% Unknown Race 7% 7%

Students

 Purchase College Lafayette College
% In-State 78% 13%
% Out-of-State 21% 79%

Campus

 Purchase College Lafayette 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 Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (3,229 students vs. 2,764 students)

Purchase College vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

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

  • Lafayette College is 769.6% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($61,482.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 262.1% higher at Lafayette College than SUNY at Purchase College ($61,482.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Lafayette College ($18,651 vs. $34,728)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 21% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($15,400 vs. $18,640)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Lafayette College (72% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 358.4% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($44,126 vs. $9,627)

Purchase College vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lafayette College (1294) is 212 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming Lafayette College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Purchase College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Lafayette College students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than Lafayette College (31.5%)

Purchase College vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (88% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $40,800 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Lafayette College graduates. ($232 vs. $268)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 65%)

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