Yale vs. City College of New York

Should I go to Yale University or CUNY City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Yale or City College of New York 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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Yale University vs. CUNY City College comparison
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Yale University CUNY City College
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Overview

Yale City College of New York
Location New Haven, CT New York, NY
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 15,081 15,012
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website yale.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Yale City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $64,700 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $64,700 $14,880
Room & Board $19,180 $18,104
Avg Net Price $26,044 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $59,076 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 86%

Admission

Yale City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,803 31,988
Admitted 2,332 18,576
Acceptance Rate 4.5% 58.1%
Enrolled % 70.4% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.2
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 33/35
SAT Range 1500/1580 1220/1460
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 2, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Yale City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • History (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Ethnic Studies (7%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

Yale City College of New York
Graduation Rate 97% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $118,400 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,500 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $139 $117

Diversity

Yale City College of New York
% Men 25% 7%
% Women 30% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 47% 15%
% Black 7% 16%
% Hispanic 11% 35%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 2%
% International 11% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Yale City College of New York
% In-State 6% 87%
% Out-of-State 81% 0%

Campus

Yale City College of New York
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Yale University is larger than than City College of New York based on total student enrollment (15,081 students vs. 15,012 students)

Yale vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Yale or City College of New York?

  • Yale University is 833.6% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($64,700.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 334.8% higher at Yale than CUNY City College ($64,700.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than Yale ($4,599 vs. $26,044)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY City College are 5.9% lower than costs at Yale University ($18,104 vs. $19,180)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than Yale University (86% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Yale University students is 539.6% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($59,076 vs. $9,236)

Yale vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Yale University (1498) is 373 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman Yale students have a 0.75 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than Yale (4.5%)

Yale vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Yale or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and Yale.

  • The graduation rate at Yale is higher than CUNY City College (97% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Yale University earn on average $68,600 more per year than City College of New York graduates after ten years. ($118,400 vs. $49,800)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $2,100 lower median federal student loan debt than Yale graduates. ($11,400 vs. $13,500)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Yale graduates. ($117 vs. $139)
  • More Yale graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 52%)

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