UB vs. UVA

Deciding between University at Buffalo and University of Virginia Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University at Buffalo
University of Virginia Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UB Buffalo, NY
  • UVA Charlottesville, VA
  • Setting
  • UB Large Suburban
  • UVA Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • UB 31,903
  • UVA 26,409
  • Type
  • UB Public 4 Year
  • UVA Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UB #101
  • UVA #58
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UB -
  • UVA -
  • Status
  • UB Non-profit
  • UVA Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UB
  • UVA

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UB $10,936
  • UVA $21,803
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UB $31,536
  • UVA $59,512
  • Room & Board
  • UB $17,426
  • UVA $14,800
  • Average Net Price
  • UB $20,529
  • UVA $18,427
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UB $10,663
  • UVA $28,715
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UB 76%
  • UVA 39%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UB 40,856
  • UVA 58,951
  • Admitted
  • UB 30,308
  • UVA 9,909
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UB 74.2%
  • UVA 16.8%
  • Enrolled
  • UB 14.1%
  • UVA 40%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UB 1300
  • UVA 1480
  • Typical ACT score
  • UB 29
  • UVA 33
  • Average High School GPA
  • UB 3.75
  • UVA 3.85
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UB A-
  • UVA A
  • Admissions Standards
  • UB Very High
  • UVA Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • UB Low
  • UVA Very High
  • ACT Range
  • UB 27/32
  • UVA 32/35
  • SAT Range
  • UB 1210/1380
  • UVA 1410/1540
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UB Test optional
  • UVA Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UB
  • UVA

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UB 11:1
  • UVA 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UB
    • Business (20%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Psychology (11%)
    • Communication (8%)
  • UVA
    • Social Sciences (23%)
    • Engineering (10%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Psychology (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UB 71%
  • UVA 94%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UB $58,400
  • UVA $77,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UB 70%
  • UVA 86%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UB $19,500
  • UVA $19,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UB $201
  • UVA $201

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UB 51%
  • UVA 45%
  • % Women
  • UB 49%
  • UVA 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UB High
  • UVA Medium
  • HBCU
  • UB No
  • UVA No
  • % White
  • UB 48%
  • UVA 60%
  • % Asian
  • UB 14%
  • UVA 13%
  • % Black
  • UB 7%
  • UVA 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • UB 6%
  • UVA 6%
  • % Native American
  • UB 0%
  • UVA 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UB 0%
  • UVA 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UB 2%
  • UVA 5%
  • % International
  • UB 16%
  • UVA 5%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UB 5%
  • UVA 6%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UB 88%
  • UVA 66%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UB 3%
  • UVA 29%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UB Yes
  • UVA Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UB No
  • UVA No
  • Meal Plan
  • UB Yes
  • UVA Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UB No
  • UVA No
  • Daycare Facility
  • UB Yes
  • UVA Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare University at Buffalo in Buffalo, NY with University of Virginia Main Campus in Charlottesville, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University at Buffalo is larger than UVA based on total student enrollment (31,903 students vs. 26,409 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University at Buffalo is located in Buffalo, NY (Large Suburban setting); University of Virginia Main Campus is in Charlottesville, VA (Small City setting).
  • University at Buffalo is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Virginia Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University at Buffalo 11:1; University of Virginia Main Campus 15:1.

UB vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UB or UVA? 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 University of Virginia Main Campus than UB ($18,427 vs. $20,529).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 15.1% lower than at University at Buffalo ($14,800 vs. $17,426).
  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 99.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than UB (about $10,867 more per year; $21,803.00 vs. $10,936.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 88.7% higher at UVA than at University at Buffalo (about $27,976 more per year; $59,512.00 vs. $31,536.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University at Buffalo than at University of Virginia Main Campus (76% vs. 39%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 169.3% larger than aid received by University at Buffalo students ($28,715 vs. $10,663).

UB vs. UVA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UB or UVA? 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 UVA and UB.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Virginia Main Campus (1480) is 180 points higher than at UB (1300).
  • Incoming UVA students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (33 vs. 29 at UB).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University at Buffalo 1210/1380; University of Virginia Main Campus 1410/1540.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University at Buffalo 27/32; University of Virginia Main Campus 32/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UB - Test optional; UVA - Test optional.
  • Accepted freshman UVA students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at UB (3.75).
  • UB has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than UVA (16.8%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14.1% at UB vs. 40% at UVA.

UB vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UB and UVA? 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).

  • University of Virginia Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (94%) is higher than University at Buffalo's (71%).
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn a median of about $18,800 more per year than UB graduates about ten years after starting college ($77,200 vs. $58,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Virginia Main Campus and UB graduates have the same median loan debt ($19,500 vs. $19,500).
  • Among borrowers in the federal data, University of Virginia Main Campus and UB graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($201 vs. $201).
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UB students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 70%)

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.