SUNY-ESF vs. SUNY Poly

Comparable Facts

Compare SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY with SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is larger than SUNY Poly based on total student enrollment (2,757 students vs. 2,733 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is located in Syracuse, NY (Midsize City setting); SUNY Polytechnic Institute is in Utica, NY (Rural Fringe setting).
• SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. SUNY Polytechnic Institute is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry 14:1; SUNY Polytechnic Institute 13:1.

SUNY-ESF vs. SUNY Poly Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY-ESF or SUNY Poly? 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 Polytechnic Institute than SUNY-ESF ($14,782 vs. $19,814).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Polytechnic Institute are 8.3% lower than at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry ($16,584 vs. $18,080).
• SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is 7.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than SUNY Poly (about $678 more per year; $9,303.00 vs. $8,625.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 4.9% higher at SUNY-ESF than at SUNY Polytechnic Institute (about $1,048 more per year; $22,263.00 vs. $21,215.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (100% vs. 96%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students is 4.1% larger than aid received by SUNY Polytechnic Institute students ($8,699 vs. $8,357).

SUNY-ESF vs. SUNY Poly Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SUNY-ESF or SUNY Poly? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SUNY Poly and SUNY-ESF.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (1220) is 20 points higher than at SUNY Poly (1200).
• Incoming SUNY-ESF students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (27 vs. 26 at SUNY Poly).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry 1130/1300; SUNY Polytechnic Institute 1025/1370.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry 24/30; SUNY Polytechnic Institute 22/30.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SUNY-ESF - Test-free; SUNY Poly - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: SUNY-ESF Feb 1, 2027; SUNY Poly Aug 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman SUNY-ESF students have the same average high school GPA (3.7) as students at SUNY Poly (3.7).
• SUNY Poly has a higher acceptance rate (81.3%) than SUNY-ESF (63.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.6% at SUNY-ESF vs. 8.7% at SUNY Poly.

SUNY-ESF vs. SUNY Poly Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SUNY-ESF and SUNY Poly? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry's six-year graduation rate (66%) is higher than SUNY Polytechnic Institute's (47%).
• Graduates from SUNY Polytechnic Institute earn a median of about $7,000 more per year than SUNY-ESF graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,200 vs. $46,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, SUNY Polytechnic Institute graduates have a $3,165 lower median loan debt than SUNY-ESF graduates ($16,585 vs. $19,750).
• Among borrowers, SUNY Poly graduates have an estimated $33 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SUNY-ESF graduates ($171 vs. $204).
• More SUNY-ESF graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Poly students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 63%)

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.