Buffalo State College vs. Purchase College

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

Buffalo State College Purchase College
Location Buffalo, NY Purchase, NY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,470 3,229
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #609 #297
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website buffalostate.edu purchase.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Buffalo State College Purchase College
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $17,490 $16,980
Room & Board $16,716 $15,400
Avg Net Price $13,735 $18,651
Avg Grant Aid $8,921 $9,627
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 72%

Admission

Buffalo State College Purchase College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,943 7,221
Admitted 12,096 5,259
Acceptance Rate 75.9% 72.8%
Enrolled % 12% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 2.84 3.37
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32
SAT Range 960/1190 1178/1363
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

Buffalo State College Purchase College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (26%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

Buffalo State College Purchase College
Graduation Rate 47% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,700 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,409 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $221 $232

Diversity

Buffalo State College Purchase College
% Men 4% 1%
% Women 10% 1%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 55%
% Black 28% 10%
% Hispanic 12% 18%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 7%

Students

Buffalo State College Purchase College
% In-State 94% 78%
% Out-of-State 3% 21%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY College at Buffalo is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (6,470 students vs. 3,229 students)

Buffalo State College vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Buffalo State College or Purchase College?

  • SUNY College at Buffalo and Purchase College cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3% higher at Buffalo State College than SUNY at Purchase College ($17,490.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College at Buffalo than Purchase College ($13,735 vs. $18,651)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 8.5% lower than costs at SUNY College at Buffalo ($15,400 vs. $16,716)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY College at Buffalo than SUNY at Purchase College (88% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 7.9% larger than aid received SUNY College at Buffalo ($9,627 vs. $8,921)

Buffalo State College vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Purchase College (1082) is 181 points higher than at Buffalo State College (901)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Buffalo State College (19)
  • Accepted freshman Purchase College students have a 0.53 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Buffalo State College (2.84)
  • Buffalo State College has a higher acceptance rate (75.9%) than Purchase College (72.8%)

Buffalo State College vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Buffalo State College or Purchase 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 Purchase College and Buffalo State College.

  • The graduation rate at Purchase College is higher than SUNY College at Buffalo (56% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from SUNY College at Buffalo earn on average $500 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($40,700 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY College at Buffalo students graduate with a $1,091 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($21,409 vs. $22,500)
  • Buffalo State College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($221 vs. $232)
  • More Purchase College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Buffalo State College students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 59%)

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