University of Northern Colorado vs. Buffalo State College

Should I go to University of Northern Colorado or SUNY College at Buffalo? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Northern Colorado or Buffalo State 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 Northern Colorado vs. SUNY College at Buffalo comparison
University of Northern Colorado SUNY College at Buffalo College 3 College 4
University of Northern Colorado SUNY College at Buffalo
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Overview

University of Northern Colorado Buffalo State College
Location Greeley, CO Buffalo, NY
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 9,067 6,470
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #688 #609
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unco.edu buffalostate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Northern Colorado Buffalo State College
Tuition (In State) $9,296 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $23,490 $17,490
Room & Board $15,230 $16,716
Avg Net Price $19,115 $13,735
Avg Grant Aid $8,773 $8,921
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 88%

Admission

University of Northern Colorado Buffalo State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,274 15,943
Admitted 8,880 12,096
Acceptance Rate 86.4% 75.9%
Enrolled % 13.8% 12%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 2.84
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/26
SAT Range 970/1180 960/1190
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

University of Northern Colorado Buffalo State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • General Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Education (26%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

University of Northern Colorado Buffalo State College
Graduation Rate 46% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,600 $40,700
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,970 $21,409
Median Loan Payment $227 $221

Diversity

University of Northern Colorado Buffalo State College
% Men 7% 4%
% Women 20% 10%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 51%
% Black 4% 28%
% Hispanic 18% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 15% 0%

Students

University of Northern Colorado Buffalo State College
% In-State 84% 94%
% Out-of-State 15% 3%

Campus

University of Northern Colorado Buffalo State College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Northern Colorado is larger than than Buffalo State College based on total student enrollment (9,067 students vs. 6,470 students)

University of Northern Colorado vs. Buffalo State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Northern Colorado or Buffalo State College?

  • University of Northern Colorado is 31.5% more expensive to attend than Buffalo State College for in-state tuition ($9,296.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.3% higher at University of Northern Colorado than SUNY College at Buffalo ($23,490.00 vs. $17,490.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College at Buffalo than University of Northern Colorado ($13,735 vs. $19,115)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Northern Colorado are 9.8% lower than costs at SUNY College at Buffalo ($15,230 vs. $16,716)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Northern Colorado than SUNY College at Buffalo (94% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY College at Buffalo students is 1.7% larger than aid received University of Northern Colorado ($8,921 vs. $8,773)

University of Northern Colorado vs. Buffalo State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Northern Colorado (1031) is 130 points higher than at Buffalo State College (901)
  • Incoming University of Northern Colorado students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Buffalo State College (19)
  • Accepted freshman University of Northern Colorado students have a 0.69 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at Buffalo State College (2.84)
  • University of Northern Colorado has a higher acceptance rate (86.4%) than Buffalo State College (75.9%)

University of Northern Colorado vs. Buffalo State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Northern Colorado or Buffalo State 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 Buffalo State College and University of Northern Colorado.

  • The graduation rate at Buffalo State College is higher than University of Northern Colorado (47% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of Northern Colorado earn on average $3,900 more per year than Buffalo State College graduates after ten years. ($44,600 vs. $40,700)
  • SUNY College at Buffalo students graduate with a $561 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Northern Colorado graduates. ($21,409 vs. $21,970)
  • Buffalo State College graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than University of Northern Colorado graduates. ($221 vs. $227)
  • More University of Northern Colorado graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Buffalo State College students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 59%)

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