Purchase College vs. Widener University-Main Campus

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

 Purchase College Widener University-Main Campus
Location Purchase, NY Chester, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,182 5,416
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #319 #364
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu widener.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Purchase College Widener University-Main Campus
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $50,624
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $50,624
Room & Board $14,948 $15,200
Avg Net Price $19,434 $32,185
Avg Grant Aid $10,312 $32,412
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 97%

Admission

 Purchase College Widener University-Main Campus
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,747 5,961
Admitted 4,292 5,227
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 87.7%
Enrolled % 16% 10.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.46
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 29/31 22/29
SAT Range 1190/1350 1105/1290
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

Academics

 Purchase College Widener University-Main Campus
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

 Purchase College Widener University-Main Campus
Graduation Rate 56% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $59,500
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $279

Diversity

 Purchase College Widener University-Main Campus
% Men 42% 34%
% Women 58% 66%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 70%
% Black 10% 13%
% Hispanic 18% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

 Purchase College Widener University-Main Campus
% In-State 85% 61%
% Out-of-State 14% 38%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Widener University Main Campus is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (5,416 students vs. 3,182 students)

Purchase College vs. Widener University-Main Campus Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or Widener University-Main Campus?

  • Widener University Main Campus is 616% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($50,624.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 198.1% higher at Widener University-Main Campus than SUNY at Purchase College ($50,624.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Widener University-Main Campus ($19,434 vs. $32,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 1.7% lower than costs at Widener University Main Campus ($14,948 vs. $15,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Widener University Main Campus than SUNY at Purchase College (97% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Widener University Main Campus students is 214.3% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($32,412 vs. $10,312)

Purchase College vs. Widener University-Main Campus Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Purchase College (1082) is 50 points higher than at Widener University-Main Campus (1032)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Widener University-Main Campus (23)
  • Accepted freshman Widener University-Main Campus students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Widener University-Main Campus has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Purchase College (74.7%)

Purchase College vs. Widener University-Main Campus Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College or Widener University-Main Campus? 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 Widener University-Main Campus and Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Purchase College is higher than Widener University Main Campus (56% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Widener University Main Campus earn on average $19,300 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Widener University-Main Campus graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Widener University-Main Campus graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More Widener University-Main Campus graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 65%)

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