UMBC vs. Purchase College

Should I go to University of Maryland Baltimore County or SUNY at Purchase College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMBC or Purchase 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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University of Maryland Baltimore County vs. SUNY at Purchase College comparison
University of Maryland Baltimore County SUNY at Purchase College College 3 College 4
University of Maryland Baltimore County SUNY at Purchase College
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Overview

 UMBC Purchase College
Location Baltimore, MD Purchase, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,148 3,229
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #263 #297
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu purchase.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMBC Purchase College
Tuition (In State) $9,238 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $26,594 $16,980
Room & Board $14,204 $15,400
Avg Net Price $17,704 $18,651
Avg Grant Aid $9,956 $9,627
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 72%

Admission

 UMBC Purchase College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,150 7,221
Admitted 9,762 5,259
Acceptance Rate 74.2% 72.8%
Enrolled % 20.3% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.37
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 23/30 27/32
SAT Range 1220/1410 1178/1363
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 Feb 1, 2026 Jul 1, 2026

Academics

 UMBC Purchase College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 UMBC Purchase College
Graduation Rate 57% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $219 $232

Diversity

 UMBC Purchase College
% Men 14% 1%
% Women 12% 1%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 55%
% Black 17% 10%
% Hispanic 6% 18%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

 UMBC Purchase College
% In-State 85% 78%
% Out-of-State 6% 21%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (14,148 students vs. 3,229 students)

UMBC vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Purchase College?

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is 30.7% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($9,238.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.6% higher at UMBC than SUNY at Purchase College ($26,594.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Purchase College ($17,704 vs. $18,651)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 8.4% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($14,204 vs. $15,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than SUNY at Purchase College (87% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Maryland Baltimore County students is 3.4% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($9,956 vs. $9,627)

UMBC vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Maryland Baltimore County (1209) is 127 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming UMBC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Purchase College (25)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than Purchase College (72.8%)

UMBC vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC or Purchase 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 Purchase College and UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at UMBC is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (57% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from University of Maryland Baltimore County earn on average $19,300 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $40,200)
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County students graduate with a $1,303 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($21,197 vs. $22,500)
  • UMBC graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($219 vs. $232)
  • More UMBC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 65%)

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