UMass vs. SUNY Poly

Should I go to University of Massachusetts Amherst or SUNY Polytechnic Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMass 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 of Massachusetts Amherst vs. SUNY Polytechnic Institute comparison
University of Massachusetts Amherst SUNY Polytechnic Institute College 3 College 4
University of Massachusetts Amherst SUNY Polytechnic Institute
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Overview

 UMass SUNY Poly
Location Amherst, MA Utica, NY
Setting Town Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 32,229 2,842
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #176 #257
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umass.edu sunyit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMass SUNY Poly
Tuition (In State) $16,186 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $37,405 $17,830
Room & Board $14,123 $14,008
Avg Net Price $22,291 $13,799
Avg Grant Aid $12,350 $9,497
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 89%

Admission

 UMass SUNY Poly
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 45,451 2,919
Admitted 28,871 2,384
Acceptance Rate 63.5% 81.7%
Enrolled % 19.4% 16%
Avg High School GPA 3.99 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/33 23/31
SAT Range 1260/1480 1040/1400
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, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 UMass SUNY Poly
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering Technology (20%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

 UMass SUNY Poly
Graduation Rate 67% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,200 $53,200
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $16,585
Median Loan Payment $248 $171

Diversity

 UMass SUNY Poly
% Men 49% 59%
% Women 51% 41%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 79%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 8% 0%

Students

 UMass SUNY Poly
% In-State 65% 95%
% Out-of-State 24% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than than SUNY Poly based on total student enrollment (32,229 students vs. 2,842 students)

UMass vs. SUNY Poly Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMass or SUNY Poly?

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is 128.9% more expensive to attend than SUNY Poly for in-state tuition ($16,186.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 109.8% higher at UMass than SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($37,405.00 vs. $17,830.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than UMass ($13,799 vs. $22,291)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Polytechnic Institute are 0.8% lower than costs at University of Massachusetts Amherst ($14,008 vs. $14,123)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than University of Massachusetts Amherst (89% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Massachusetts Amherst students is 30% larger than aid received SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($12,350 vs. $9,497)

UMass vs. SUNY Poly Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Massachusetts Amherst (1226) is 85 points higher than at SUNY Poly (1141)
  • Incoming UMass students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at SUNY Poly (26)
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at SUNY Poly (3.7)
  • SUNY Poly has a higher acceptance rate (81.7%) than UMass (63.5%)

UMass vs. SUNY Poly Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMass 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 UMass.

  • The graduation rate at UMass is higher than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (67% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of Massachusetts Amherst earn on average $2,000 more per year than SUNY Poly graduates after ten years. ($55,200 vs. $53,200)
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute students graduate with a $7,415 lower median federal student loan debt than UMass graduates. ($16,585 vs. $24,000)
  • SUNY Poly graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than UMass graduates. ($171 vs. $248)
  • More UMass graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Poly students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 63%)

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