SUNY Cortland vs. Union College

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

SUNY Cortland Union College
Location Cortland, NY Schenectady, NY
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 6,780 2,082
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #396 #87
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cortland.edu union.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SUNY Cortland Union College
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $66,105
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $66,105
Room & Board $15,210 $16,389
Avg Net Price $18,474 $42,884
Avg Grant Aid $8,034 $38,751
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 94%

Admission

SUNY Cortland Union College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,867 9,295
Admitted 8,046 4,070
Acceptance Rate 50.7% 43.8%
Enrolled % 15.1% 13.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 22/27 30/33
SAT Range 1090/1240 1310/1480
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 15, 2026

Academics

SUNY Cortland Union College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (41%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (16%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (5%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

SUNY Cortland Union College
Graduation Rate 67% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,300 $74,200
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $279

Diversity

SUNY Cortland Union College
% Men 3% 0%
% Women 9% 1%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 73%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

SUNY Cortland Union College
% In-State 94% 28%
% Out-of-State 5% 63%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY College at Cortland is larger than than Union College based on total student enrollment (6,780 students vs. 2,082 students)

SUNY Cortland vs. Union College Cost Comparison

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

  • Union College is 835% more expensive to attend than SUNY Cortland for in-state tuition ($66,105.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 289.3% higher at Union College than SUNY College at Cortland ($66,105.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College at Cortland than Union College ($18,474 vs. $42,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY College at Cortland are 7.8% lower than costs at Union College ($15,210 vs. $16,389)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Union College than SUNY College at Cortland (94% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Union College students is 382.3% larger than aid received SUNY College at Cortland ($38,751 vs. $8,034)

SUNY Cortland vs. Union College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SUNY Cortland students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Union College (3.5)
  • SUNY Cortland has a higher acceptance rate (50.7%) than Union College (43.8%)

SUNY Cortland vs. Union College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY Cortland or Union 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 Union College and SUNY Cortland.

  • The graduation rate at Union College is higher than SUNY College at Cortland (86% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Union College earn on average $26,900 more per year than SUNY Cortland graduates after ten years. ($74,200 vs. $47,300)
  • SUNY College at Cortland students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Union College graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • SUNY Cortland graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Union College graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More Union College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Cortland students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 75%)

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