SUNY Cortland vs. SUNY-Potsdam

Comparable Facts

Compare State University of New York at Cortland in Cortland, NY with SUNY College at Potsdam in Potsdam, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

State University of New York at Cortland is larger than SUNY-Potsdam based on total student enrollment (6,938 students vs. 2,832 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• State University of New York at Cortland is located in Cortland, NY (Rural Fringe setting); SUNY College at Potsdam is in Potsdam, NY (Remote Town setting).
• State University of New York at Cortland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. SUNY College at Potsdam is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: State University of New York at Cortland 15:1; SUNY College at Potsdam 11:1.

SUNY Cortland vs. SUNY-Potsdam Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Cortland or SUNY-Potsdam? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College at Potsdam than SUNY Cortland ($13,730 vs. $19,847).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY College at Potsdam are 1.8% lower than at State University of New York at Cortland ($15,280 vs. $15,560).
• State University of New York at Cortland is 1.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than SUNY-Potsdam (about $106 more per year; $8,874.00 vs. $8,768.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.6% higher at SUNY Cortland than at SUNY College at Potsdam (about $106 more per year; $18,784.00 vs. $18,678.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at SUNY College at Potsdam than at State University of New York at Cortland (93% vs. 63%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY College at Potsdam students is 35% larger than aid received by State University of New York at Cortland students ($11,147 vs. $8,254).

SUNY Cortland vs. SUNY-Potsdam Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SUNY Cortland or SUNY-Potsdam? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SUNY-Potsdam and SUNY Cortland.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: State University of New York at Cortland 1090/1240.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: State University of New York at Cortland 22/27.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SUNY Cortland - Test-free; SUNY-Potsdam - Test optional.
• Enrolled freshman SUNY Cortland students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at SUNY-Potsdam (3.3).
• SUNY-Potsdam has a higher acceptance rate (77.7%) than SUNY Cortland (59.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 13.3% at SUNY Cortland vs. 10% at SUNY-Potsdam.

SUNY Cortland vs. SUNY-Potsdam Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SUNY Cortland and SUNY-Potsdam? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• State University of New York at Cortland's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than SUNY College at Potsdam's (51%).
• Graduates from State University of New York at Cortland earn a median of about $8,200 more per year than SUNY-Potsdam graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,300 vs. $39,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, State University of New York at Cortland graduates have a $3,500 lower median loan debt than SUNY-Potsdam graduates ($21,500 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers, SUNY Cortland graduates have an estimated $36 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SUNY-Potsdam graduates ($222 vs. $258).
• More SUNY Cortland graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY-Potsdam 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.