Purchase College vs. Western Washington University

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

 Purchase College Western Washington University
Location Purchase, NY Bellingham, WA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 3,229 14,651
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #297 #364
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu wwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Purchase College Western Washington University
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $7,997
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $26,564
Room & Board $15,400 $14,915
Avg Net Price $18,651 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $9,627 $7,041
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 93%

Admission

 Purchase College Western Washington University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,221 14,243
Admitted 5,259 13,005
Acceptance Rate 72.8% 91.3%
Enrolled % 14.8% 24.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.46
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 23/29
SAT Range 1178/1363 1110/1350
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 31, 2026

Academics

 Purchase College Western Washington University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 Purchase College Western Washington University
Graduation Rate 56% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $19,413
Median Loan Payment $232 $200

Diversity

 Purchase College Western Washington University
% Men 1% 2%
% Women 1% 4%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 73%
% Black 10% 2%
% Hispanic 18% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 9%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

 Purchase College Western Washington University
% In-State 78% 83%
% Out-of-State 21% 16%

Campus

 Purchase College Western Washington University
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

  • Western Washington University is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (14,651 students vs. 3,229 students)

Purchase College vs. Western Washington University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or Western Washington University?

  • Western Washington University is 13.1% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($7,997.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.4% higher at Western Washington University than SUNY at Purchase College ($26,564.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Western Washington University ($18,651 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Washington University are 3.3% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($14,915 vs. $15,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Washington University than SUNY at Purchase College (93% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 36.7% larger than aid received Western Washington University ($9,627 vs. $7,041)

Purchase College vs. Western Washington University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Washington University (1114) is 32 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Western Washington University (25)
  • Accepted freshman Western Washington University students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Western Washington University has a higher acceptance rate (91.3%) than Purchase College (72.8%)

Purchase College vs. Western Washington University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College or Western Washington University? 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 Western Washington University and Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Western Washington University is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (73% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Western Washington University earn on average $7,800 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $40,200)
  • Western Washington University students graduate with a $3,087 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($19,413 vs. $22,500)
  • Western Washington University graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($200 vs. $232)
  • More Western Washington University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 65%)

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