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Buffalo, NY · Saratoga Springs, NY
| SUNY Buffalo State University | Empire State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $11,346/yr | $11,676/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $7,405/yr | $8,989/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $21,028 | $18,730 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $9,393/yr | $10,507/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $14,706/yr | $14,812/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $17,155/yr | $16,481/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $19,332/yr | $19,679/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $223/mo | $199/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $15,986/yr | No data reported |
| Room & board (off campus) | $17,158/yr | $14,230/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,052/yr | $1,776/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,876/yr | No data reported |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $24,279/yr | $19,699/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $8,533/yr | $7,648/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $19,653/yr | $17,558/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 56% | 37% |
| Students taking federal loans | 50% | 34% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 73% | No data reported |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 980–1240 | No data reported |
| SAT average | 1070 | No data reported |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | No data reported |
| Applications received | 15,943 | No data reported |
| Students accepted | 12,096 | No data reported |
| Students who enrolled | 1,456 | No data reported |
| Accepted students who enroll | 12% | No data reported |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 13% | No data reported |
| High-school GPA | Required | No data reported |
| High-school transcript | Required | No data reported |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | No data reported |
| Recommendation letters | Optional (considered if sent) | No data reported |
| Class rank | Not considered | No data reported |
| College-prep program | Required | No data reported |
| Demonstrated competencies | Required | No data reported |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | No data reported |
| English proficiency test | Required | No data reported |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | No data reported |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | No data reported |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 33% | 41% |
| Freshmen who come back | 58% | 66% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $52,334/yr | $54,080/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $32,907–$71,022 | $30,511–$80,195 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 48% | 48% |
| White students graduating | 42% | 45% |
| Black students graduating | 28% | 39% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 30% | 36% |
| Asian students graduating | 31% | 0% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $40,877/yr | $50,167/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 71% | 69% |
| Graduate on time | 23% | 28% |
| Pell students who graduate | 31% | 45% |
| First-gen students who finish | 48% | 32% |
| Low-income students who finish | 46% | 29% |
| Students who transfer out | 40% | 19% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $46,928/yr | $52,603/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Education 16% · Business, Management & Marketing 11% · Liberal Arts & General Studies 8% | Business, Management & Marketing 24% · Liberal Arts & General Studies 20% · Public Administration & Social Service 13% |
| Most popular program | Education — 16% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 24% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 11% of degrees | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 20% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Liberal Arts & General Studies — 8% of degrees | Public Administration & Social Service — 13% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 8% of degrees | Psychology — 11% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Social Sciences — 6% of degrees | Health Professions — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians — $71,894/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $116,832/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 16% | 5.6% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 5,097 | 7,585 |
| Students per professor | 14 : 1 | 17 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 933 | 2,074 |
| Average professor pay | $9,132/mo | $8,539/mo |
| Full-time professors | 52% | 22% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $32,331 | $26,758 |
| Setting | City (large) | Suburb (small) |
| Location | Buffalo, NY | Saratoga Springs, NY |
| Region | Mid East | Mid East |
| Founded | 1871 | 1971 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 1% | 0.6% |
| Men | 44% | 32% |
| Women | 56% | 68% |
| White students | 45% | 46% |
| Black students | 29% | 16% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 13% | 16% |
| Asian students | 6.6% | 3.5% |
| Two or more races | 4.7% | 3.1% |
| Other / not reported | 0.6% | 14% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 34% | 45% |
| Part-time students | 8.1% | 49% |
| Students age 25+ | 13% | 74% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $15,967/yr | $9,160/yr |
| Endowment | $96.4M | $28.0M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | No — no campus housing |
| Beds in campus housing | 2,782 | No data reported |
| Required to live on campus | No | No data reported |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $9,856/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan charge | $6,860/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | No |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | No data reported |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Trimester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | Yes | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | No | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | No |
| Job placement for graduates | No | No |
| On-campus day care | Yes | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | No |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | No data reported |
| College sports level | NCAA Division III with football | No intercollegiate athletics reported |
| Football team | Yes | No data reported |
| Varsity teams | 15 | No data reported |
| Student athletes | 454 | No data reported |
| Athletic scholarships | $0 | No data reported |
| Athletics budget | $5.7M | No data reported |
| Athletics revenue | $5.7M | No data reported |
| Recruiting spend | $41,845 | No data reported |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.