Wellesley vs. Purchase College

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

Wellesley Purchase College
Location Wellesley, MA Purchase, NY
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,447 3,182
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #17 #319
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wellesley.edu purchase.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wellesley Purchase College
Tuition (In State) $61,584 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $61,584 $16,980
Room & Board $19,080 $14,948
Avg Net Price $21,362 $19,434
Avg Grant Aid $61,328 $10,312
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 73%

Admission

Wellesley Purchase College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,491 5,747
Admitted 1,152 4,292
Acceptance Rate 13.6% 74.7%
Enrolled % 50.8% 16%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.37
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 33/35 29/31
SAT Range 1430/1550 1190/1350
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 8, 2025 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

Wellesley Purchase College
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

Wellesley Purchase College
Graduation Rate 92% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,100 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $8,900 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $92 $232

Diversity

Wellesley Purchase College
% Men 1% 42%
% Women 99% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 55%
% Black 6% 10%
% Hispanic 11% 18%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 12% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 7%

Students

Wellesley Purchase College
% In-State 11% 85%
% Out-of-State 73% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY at Purchase College is larger than than Wellesley based on total student enrollment (3,182 students vs. 2,447 students)

Wellesley vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wellesley or Purchase College?

  • Wellesley College is 771.1% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($61,584.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 262.7% higher at Wellesley than SUNY at Purchase College ($61,584.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Wellesley ($19,434 vs. $21,362)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 27.6% lower than costs at Wellesley College ($14,948 vs. $19,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Wellesley College (73% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wellesley College students is 494.7% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($61,328 vs. $10,312)

Wellesley vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wellesley College (1369) is 287 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming Wellesley students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Purchase College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Wellesley students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than Wellesley (13.6%)

Wellesley vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wellesley 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 Wellesley.

  • The graduation rate at Wellesley is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (92% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Wellesley College earn on average $27,900 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($68,100 vs. $40,200)
  • Wellesley College students graduate with a $13,600 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($8,900 vs. $22,500)
  • Wellesley graduates are paying $140 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($92 vs. $232)
  • More Wellesley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 65%)

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