Syracuse vs. Lafayette College

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

 Syracuse Lafayette College
Location Syracuse, NY Easton, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 22,948 2,764
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #160 #66
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website syr.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Syracuse Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $61,310 $61,482
Tuition (Out of State) $61,310 $61,482
Room & Board $18,444 $18,640
Avg Net Price $51,520 $34,728
Avg Grant Aid $29,110 $44,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 52%

Admission

 Syracuse Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 42,089 9,874
Admitted 17,545 3,107
Acceptance Rate 41.7% 31.5%
Enrolled % 20.9% 22.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 28/32 30/33
SAT Range 1260/1430 1340/1490
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 Jan 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Syracuse Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

 Syracuse Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 80% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,900 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

 Syracuse Lafayette College
% Men 14% 0%
% Women 17% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 67%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 12% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

 Syracuse Lafayette College
% In-State 32% 13%
% Out-of-State 57% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Syracuse University is larger than than Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (22,948 students vs. 2,764 students)

Syracuse vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Syracuse or Lafayette College?

  • Lafayette College is 0.3% more expensive to attend than Syracuse for in-state tuition ($61,482.00 vs. $61,310.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at Lafayette College than Syracuse University ($61,482.00 vs. $61,310.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lafayette College than Syracuse ($34,728 vs. $51,520)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Syracuse University are 1.1% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($18,444 vs. $18,640)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Syracuse University than Lafayette College (82% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 51.6% larger than aid received Syracuse University ($44,126 vs. $29,110)

Syracuse vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lafayette College (1294) is 99 points higher than at Syracuse (1195)
  • Incoming Lafayette College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Syracuse (27)
  • Accepted freshman Syracuse students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • Syracuse has a higher acceptance rate (41.7%) than Lafayette College (31.5%)

Syracuse vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Syracuse or Lafayette 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 Lafayette College and Syracuse.

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than Syracuse University (88% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $15,100 more per year than Syracuse graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $65,900)
  • Lafayette College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Syracuse graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Lafayette College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Syracuse graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Syracuse students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 80%)

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