SUNY Cortland vs. Purchase College

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

SUNY Cortland Purchase College
Location Cortland, NY Purchase, NY
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,690 3,182
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #399 #319
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cortland.edu purchase.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SUNY Cortland Purchase College
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $16,980
Room & Board $13,620 $14,948
Avg Net Price $18,304 $19,434
Avg Grant Aid $9,369 $10,312
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 73%

Admission

SUNY Cortland Purchase College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,711 5,747
Admitted 7,001 4,292
Acceptance Rate 59.8% 74.7%
Enrolled % 19.2% 16%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.37
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/27 29/31
SAT Range 1090/1240 1190/1350
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, 2025

Academics

SUNY Cortland Purchase College
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%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

SUNY Cortland Purchase College
Graduation Rate 67% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,300 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $222 $232

Diversity

SUNY Cortland Purchase College
% Men 44% 42%
% Women 56% 58%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 55%
% Black 6% 10%
% Hispanic 11% 18%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 7%

Students

SUNY Cortland Purchase College
% In-State 96% 85%
% Out-of-State 4% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY College at Cortland is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (6,690 students vs. 3,182 students)

SUNY Cortland vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Cortland or Purchase College?

  • SUNY College at Cortland 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 the same at SUNY Cortland as SUNY at Purchase College ($16,980.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College at Cortland than Purchase College ($18,304 vs. $19,434)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY College at Cortland are 9.8% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($13,620 vs. $14,948)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at SUNY College at Cortland as SUNY at Purchase College (73% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 10.1% larger than aid received SUNY College at Cortland ($10,312 vs. $9,369)

SUNY Cortland vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SUNY Cortland students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than SUNY Cortland (59.8%)

SUNY Cortland vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY Cortland 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 SUNY Cortland.

  • The graduation rate at SUNY Cortland is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (67% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from SUNY College at Cortland earn on average $7,100 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($47,300 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY College at Cortland students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,500)
  • SUNY Cortland graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($222 vs. $232)
  • More SUNY Cortland graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 65%)

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