SUNY Poly vs. Syracuse

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

 SUNY Poly Syracuse
Location Utica, NY Syracuse, NY
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 2,704 22,948
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #307 #160
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sunyit.edu syr.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SUNY Poly Syracuse
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $61,310
Tuition (Out of State) $18,720 $61,310
Room & Board $14,750 $18,444
Avg Net Price $14,646 $51,520
Avg Grant Aid $8,137 $29,110
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 82%

Admission

 SUNY Poly Syracuse
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,936 42,089
Admitted 3,872 17,545
Acceptance Rate 78.4% 41.7%
Enrolled % 10% 20.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.69
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/27 28/32
SAT Range 1150/1330 1260/1430
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 1, 2026

Academics

 SUNY Poly Syracuse
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering Technology (20%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

 SUNY Poly Syracuse
Graduation Rate 47% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,200 $65,900
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,585 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $171 $279

Diversity

 SUNY Poly Syracuse
% Men 11% 14%
% Women 19% 17%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 55%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 7% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 12%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 SUNY Poly Syracuse
% In-State 95% 32%
% Out-of-State 3% 57%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Syracuse University is larger than than SUNY Poly based on total student enrollment (22,948 students vs. 2,704 students)

SUNY Poly vs. Syracuse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Poly or Syracuse?

  • Syracuse University is 767.2% more expensive to attend than SUNY Poly for in-state tuition ($61,310.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 227.5% higher at Syracuse than SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($61,310.00 vs. $18,720.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than Syracuse ($14,646 vs. $51,520)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Polytechnic Institute are 25% lower than costs at Syracuse University ($14,750 vs. $18,444)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than Syracuse University (90% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Syracuse University students is 257.7% larger than aid received SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($29,110 vs. $8,137)

SUNY Poly vs. Syracuse Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Syracuse University (1195) is 54 points higher than at SUNY Poly (1141)
  • Incoming Syracuse students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at SUNY Poly (26)
  • Accepted freshman SUNY Poly students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Syracuse (3.69)
  • SUNY Poly has a higher acceptance rate (78.4%) than Syracuse (41.7%)

SUNY Poly vs. Syracuse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY Poly 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 Poly.

  • The graduation rate at Syracuse is higher than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (80% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Syracuse University earn on average $12,700 more per year than SUNY Poly graduates after ten years. ($65,900 vs. $53,200)
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute students graduate with a $10,415 lower median federal student loan debt than Syracuse graduates. ($16,585 vs. $27,000)
  • SUNY Poly graduates are paying $108 less per month on federal student loans than Syracuse graduates. ($171 vs. $279)
  • More Syracuse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Poly students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 63%)

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