SUNY Poly vs. Bucknell

Should I go to SUNY Polytechnic Institute or Bucknell University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SUNY Poly or Bucknell 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 Polytechnic Institute vs. Bucknell University comparison
SUNY Polytechnic Institute Bucknell University College 3 College 4
SUNY Polytechnic Institute Bucknell University
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Overview

 SUNY Poly Bucknell
Location Utica, NY Lewisburg, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 2,704 3,892
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #307 #73
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sunyit.edu bucknell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SUNY Poly Bucknell
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $64,418
Tuition (Out of State) $18,720 $64,418
Room & Board $14,750 $16,118
Avg Net Price $14,646 $38,486
Avg Grant Aid $8,137 $41,211
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 56%

Admission

 SUNY Poly Bucknell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,936 11,010
Admitted 3,872 3,524
Acceptance Rate 78.4% 32%
Enrolled % 10% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.62
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 24/27 31/33
SAT Range 1150/1330 1300/1450
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 Aug 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 SUNY Poly Bucknell
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering Technology (20%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

 SUNY Poly Bucknell
Graduation Rate 47% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,200 $76,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,585 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $171 $279

Diversity

 SUNY Poly Bucknell
% Men 11% 0%
% Women 19% 1%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 77%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 SUNY Poly Bucknell
% In-State 95% 21%
% Out-of-State 3% 74%

Campus

 SUNY Poly Bucknell
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bucknell University is larger than than SUNY Poly based on total student enrollment (3,892 students vs. 2,704 students)

SUNY Poly vs. Bucknell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Poly or Bucknell?

  • Bucknell University is 811.1% more expensive to attend than SUNY Poly for in-state tuition ($64,418.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 244.1% higher at Bucknell than SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($64,418.00 vs. $18,720.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than Bucknell ($14,646 vs. $38,486)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Polytechnic Institute are 9.3% lower than costs at Bucknell University ($14,750 vs. $16,118)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than Bucknell University (90% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bucknell University students is 406.5% larger than aid received SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($41,211 vs. $8,137)

SUNY Poly vs. Bucknell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bucknell University (1315) is 174 points higher than at SUNY Poly (1141)
  • Incoming Bucknell students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at SUNY Poly (26)
  • Accepted freshman SUNY Poly students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Bucknell (3.62)
  • SUNY Poly has a higher acceptance rate (78.4%) than Bucknell (32%)

SUNY Poly vs. Bucknell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY Poly or Bucknell? 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 Bucknell and SUNY Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Bucknell is higher than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (91% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Bucknell University earn on average $23,100 more per year than SUNY Poly graduates after ten years. ($76,300 vs. $53,200)
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute students graduate with a $10,415 lower median federal student loan debt than Bucknell graduates. ($16,585 vs. $27,000)
  • SUNY Poly graduates are paying $108 less per month on federal student loans than Bucknell graduates. ($171 vs. $279)
  • More Bucknell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Poly students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 63%)

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