UB vs. SUNY Poly

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

 UB SUNY Poly
Location Buffalo, NY Utica, NY
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 31,889 2,704
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #101 #307
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website buffalo.edu sunyit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UB SUNY Poly
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $26,860 $18,720
Room & Board $16,754 $14,750
Avg Net Price $20,511 $14,646
Avg Grant Aid $9,996 $8,137
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 90%

Admission

 UB SUNY Poly
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 38,210 4,936
Admitted 26,481 3,872
Acceptance Rate 69.3% 78.4%
Enrolled % 16.1% 10%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 24/27
SAT Range 1210/1380 1150/1330
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

Academics

 UB SUNY Poly
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering Technology (20%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

 UB SUNY Poly
Graduation Rate 71% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,400 $53,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $16,585
Median Loan Payment $201 $171

Diversity

 UB SUNY Poly
% Men 17% 11%
% Women 19% 19%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 48% 79%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 16% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

 UB SUNY Poly
% In-State 88% 95%
% Out-of-State 3% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University at Buffalo is larger than than SUNY Poly based on total student enrollment (31,889 students vs. 2,704 students)

UB vs. SUNY Poly Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UB or SUNY Poly?

  • University at Buffalo and SUNY Poly cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.5% higher at UB than SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($26,860.00 vs. $18,720.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than UB ($14,646 vs. $20,511)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Polytechnic Institute are 13.6% lower than costs at University at Buffalo ($14,750 vs. $16,754)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than University at Buffalo (90% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University at Buffalo students is 22.8% larger than aid received SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($9,996 vs. $8,137)

UB vs. SUNY Poly Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University at Buffalo (1173) is 32 points higher than at SUNY Poly (1141)
  • Incoming UB students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at SUNY Poly (26)
  • Accepted freshman UB students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at SUNY Poly (3.7)
  • SUNY Poly has a higher acceptance rate (78.4%) than UB (69.3%)

UB vs. SUNY Poly Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UB is higher than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (71% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University at Buffalo earn on average $5,200 more per year than SUNY Poly graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $53,200)
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute students graduate with a $2,915 lower median federal student loan debt than UB graduates. ($16,585 vs. $19,500)
  • SUNY Poly graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than UB graduates. ($171 vs. $201)
  • More UB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Poly students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 63%)

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