CU Boulder vs. SUNY Stony Brook

Should I go to University of Colorado Boulder or Stony Brook University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CU Boulder or SUNY Stony Brook 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 of Colorado Boulder vs. Stony Brook University comparison
University of Colorado Boulder Stony Brook University College 3 College 4
University of Colorado Boulder Stony Brook University
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Overview

CU Boulder SUNY Stony Brook
Location Boulder, CO Stony Brook, NY
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 41,432 25,865
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #197 #141
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu stonybrook.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder SUNY Stony Brook
Tuition (In State) $14,784 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $40,297 $26,860
Room & Board $16,950 $17,662
Avg Net Price $22,640 $18,601
Avg Grant Aid $10,838 $10,266
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 82%

Admission

CU Boulder SUNY Stony Brook
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,069 50,341
Admitted 46,692 24,670
Acceptance Rate 83.3% 49%
Enrolled % 16.2% 14.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.94
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/33 28/33
SAT Range 1230/1420 1320/1490
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 15, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

CU Boulder SUNY Stony Brook
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (9%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder SUNY Stony Brook
Graduation Rate 68% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $59,300
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $196

Diversity

CU Boulder SUNY Stony Brook
% Men 14% 14%
% Women 9% 18%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 36%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 6% 13%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

CU Boulder SUNY Stony Brook
% In-State 53% 83%
% Out-of-State 45% 9%

Campus

CU Boulder SUNY Stony Brook
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Boulder is larger than than SUNY Stony Brook based on total student enrollment (41,432 students vs. 25,865 students)

CU Boulder vs. SUNY Stony Brook Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or SUNY Stony Brook?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 109.1% more expensive to attend than SUNY Stony Brook for in-state tuition ($14,784.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50% higher at CU Boulder than Stony Brook University ($40,297.00 vs. $26,860.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stony Brook University than CU Boulder ($18,601 vs. $22,640)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Colorado Boulder are 4.2% lower than costs at Stony Brook University ($16,950 vs. $17,662)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Stony Brook University than University of Colorado Boulder (82% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 5.6% larger than aid received Stony Brook University ($10,838 vs. $10,266)

CU Boulder vs. SUNY Stony Brook Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Stony Brook University (1271) is 59 points higher than at CU Boulder (1212)
  • Incoming SUNY Stony Brook students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at CU Boulder (27)
  • Accepted freshman SUNY Stony Brook students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
  • CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (83.3%) than SUNY Stony Brook (49%)

CU Boulder vs. SUNY Stony Brook Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder or SUNY Stony Brook? 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 Stony Brook and CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than Stony Brook University (68% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Stony Brook University earn on average $2,400 more per year than CU Boulder graduates after ten years. ($59,300 vs. $56,900)
  • Stony Brook University students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Boulder graduates. ($19,000 vs. $19,500)
  • SUNY Stony Brook graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than CU Boulder graduates. ($196 vs. $201)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Stony Brook students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 73%)

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