SUNY Cortland vs. SU

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

 SUNY Cortland SU
Location Cortland, NY Winchester, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 6,690 4,260
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #399 #537
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cortland.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SUNY Cortland SU
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $33,790
Room & Board $13,620 $11,230
Avg Net Price $18,304 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $9,369 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 100%

Admission

 SUNY Cortland SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,711 2,296
Admitted 7,001 1,845
Acceptance Rate 59.8% 80.4%
Enrolled % 19.2% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/27 19/26
SAT Range 1090/1240 1010/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 SUNY Cortland SU
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%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 SUNY Cortland SU
Graduation Rate 67% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,300 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $258

Diversity

 SUNY Cortland SU
% Men 44% 32%
% Women 56% 68%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 59%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 13%

Students

 SUNY Cortland SU
% In-State 96% 52%
% Out-of-State 4% 48%

Campus

 SUNY Cortland SU
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 SU based on total student enrollment (6,690 students vs. 4,260 students)

SUNY Cortland vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Cortland or SU?

  • Shenandoah University is 377.9% more expensive to attend than SUNY Cortland for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 99% higher at SU than SUNY College at Cortland ($33,790.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College at Cortland than SU ($18,304 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 21.3% lower than costs at SUNY College at Cortland ($11,230 vs. $13,620)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than SUNY College at Cortland (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 150.5% larger than aid received SUNY College at Cortland ($23,467 vs. $9,369)

SUNY Cortland vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SUNY Cortland students have at the same average high school GPA (3.7) as students at SU (3.7)
  • SU has a higher acceptance rate (80.4%) than SUNY Cortland (59.8%)

SUNY Cortland vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY Cortland or SU? 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 SU and SUNY Cortland.

  • The graduation rate at SUNY Cortland is higher than Shenandoah University (67% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Shenandoah University earn on average $1,000 more per year than SUNY Cortland graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $47,300)
  • SUNY College at Cortland students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $25,000)
  • SUNY Cortland graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($222 vs. $258)
  • More SUNY Cortland graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 60%)

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