SUNY Cortland vs. DeSales University

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

SUNY Cortland DeSales University
Location Cortland, NY Center Valley, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,780 2,919
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #396 #295
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cortland.edu desales.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SUNY Cortland DeSales University
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $43,000
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $43,000
Room & Board $15,210 $13,800
Avg Net Price $18,474 $30,524
Avg Grant Aid $8,034 $28,789
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 100%

Admission

SUNY Cortland DeSales University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,867 3,636
Admitted 8,046 2,857
Acceptance Rate 50.7% 78.6%
Enrolled % 15.1% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.39
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/27 24/28
SAT Range 1090/1240 1090/1290
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

SUNY Cortland DeSales University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (41%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (16%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (5%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

SUNY Cortland DeSales University
Graduation Rate 67% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,300 $51,100
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $268

Diversity

SUNY Cortland DeSales University
% Men 3% 8%
% Women 9% 18%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 75%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 6%

Students

SUNY Cortland DeSales University
% In-State 94% 66%
% Out-of-State 5% 34%

Campus

SUNY Cortland DeSales University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY College at Cortland is larger than than DeSales University based on total student enrollment (6,780 students vs. 2,919 students)

SUNY Cortland vs. DeSales University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Cortland or DeSales University?

  • DeSales University is 508.2% more expensive to attend than SUNY Cortland for in-state tuition ($43,000.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 153.2% higher at DeSales University than SUNY College at Cortland ($43,000.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College at Cortland than DeSales University ($18,474 vs. $30,524)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at DeSales University are 10.2% lower than costs at SUNY College at Cortland ($13,800 vs. $15,210)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at DeSales University than SUNY College at Cortland (100% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by DeSales University students is 258.3% larger than aid received SUNY College at Cortland ($28,789 vs. $8,034)

SUNY Cortland vs. DeSales University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SUNY Cortland students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at DeSales University (3.39)
  • DeSales University has a higher acceptance rate (78.6%) than SUNY Cortland (50.7%)

SUNY Cortland vs. DeSales University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY Cortland or DeSales 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 DeSales University and SUNY Cortland.

  • The graduation rate at DeSales University is higher than SUNY College at Cortland (69% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from DeSales University earn on average $3,800 more per year than SUNY Cortland graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $47,300)
  • SUNY College at Cortland students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than DeSales University graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,000)
  • SUNY Cortland graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than DeSales University graduates. ($222 vs. $268)
  • More SUNY Cortland graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former DeSales University students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 71%)

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