SUNY Cortland vs. Syracuse

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

SUNY Cortland Syracuse
Location Cortland, NY Syracuse, NY
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 6,780 22,948
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #396 #160
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cortland.edu syr.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SUNY Cortland Syracuse
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $61,310
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $61,310
Room & Board $15,210 $18,444
Avg Net Price $18,474 $51,520
Avg Grant Aid $8,034 $29,110
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 82%

Admission

SUNY Cortland Syracuse
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,867 42,089
Admitted 8,046 17,545
Acceptance Rate 50.7% 41.7%
Enrolled % 15.1% 20.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.69
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 22/27 28/32
SAT Range 1090/1240 1260/1430
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2025

Academics

SUNY Cortland Syracuse
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (41%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (16%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

SUNY Cortland Syracuse
Graduation Rate 67% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,300 $65,900
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $279

Diversity

SUNY Cortland Syracuse
% Men 3% 14%
% Women 9% 17%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 55%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 11% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 12%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

SUNY Cortland Syracuse
% In-State 94% 32%
% Out-of-State 5% 57%

Campus

SUNY Cortland Syracuse
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

  • Syracuse University is larger than than SUNY Cortland based on total student enrollment (22,948 students vs. 6,780 students)

SUNY Cortland vs. Syracuse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Cortland or Syracuse?

  • Syracuse University is 767.2% more expensive to attend than SUNY Cortland for in-state tuition ($61,310.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 261.1% higher at Syracuse than SUNY College at Cortland ($61,310.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College at Cortland than Syracuse ($18,474 vs. $51,520)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY College at Cortland are 21.3% lower than costs at Syracuse University ($15,210 vs. $18,444)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Syracuse University than SUNY College at Cortland (82% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Syracuse University students is 262.3% larger than aid received SUNY College at Cortland ($29,110 vs. $8,034)

SUNY Cortland vs. Syracuse Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SUNY Cortland students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Syracuse (3.69)
  • SUNY Cortland has a higher acceptance rate (50.7%) than Syracuse (41.7%)

SUNY Cortland vs. Syracuse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Syracuse is higher than SUNY College at Cortland (80% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Syracuse University earn on average $18,600 more per year than SUNY Cortland graduates after ten years. ($65,900 vs. $47,300)
  • SUNY College at Cortland students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Syracuse graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • SUNY Cortland graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Syracuse graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More Syracuse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Cortland students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 75%)

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