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 3,182 2,729
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #319 #65
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 $58,110
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $58,110
Room & Board $14,948 $17,336
Avg Net Price $19,434 $37,186
Avg Grant Aid $10,312 $24,981
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 98%

Admission

 Purchase College Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,747 10,500
Admitted 4,292 3,531
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 33.6%
Enrolled % 16% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 29/31 30/33
SAT Range 1190/1350 1330/1480
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 42% 50%
% Women 58% 50%
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 85% 16%
% Out-of-State 14% 76%

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 (3,182 students vs. 2,729 students)

Purchase College vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

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

  • Lafayette College is 721.9% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($58,110.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 242.2% higher at Lafayette College than SUNY at Purchase College ($58,110.00 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 ($19,434 vs. $37,186)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 16% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($14,948 vs. $17,336)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than SUNY at Purchase College (98% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 142.3% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($24,981 vs. $10,312)

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 (74.7%) than Lafayette College (33.6%)

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/