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Albany, NY · Buffalo, NY
| University at Albany | University at Buffalo | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $17,167/yr | $20,995/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $11,112/yr | $14,668/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $19,500 | $19,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $14,062/yr | $16,585/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $17,923/yr | $21,262/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $20,037/yr | $24,117/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $24,085/yr | $28,079/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $207/mo | $201/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $16,423/yr | $17,426/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $18,007/yr | $17,426/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,000/yr | $1,500/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,248/yr | $4,830/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $28,802/yr | $30,785/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $10,866/yr | $10,936/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $31,256/yr | $31,536/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 44% | 33% |
| Students taking federal loans | 51% | 40% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 69% | 74% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | No data reported | 1210–1380 |
| SAT average | No data reported | 1295 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | No data reported | 27–32 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | No data reported | English 24–33 · Math 25–30 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 30,740 | 38,210 |
| Students accepted | 21,477 | 26,481 |
| Students who enrolled | 2,836 | 4,271 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 13% | 16% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 1% | 33% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 0% | 3% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 61% | 75% |
| Freshmen who come back | 83% | 85% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $67,979/yr | $70,814/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $44,635–$96,119 | $45,990–$100,175 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 67% | 72% |
| White students graduating | 63% | 75% |
| Black students graduating | 62% | 68% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 58% | 68% |
| Asian students graduating | 65% | 80% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $51,380/yr | $53,742/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 82% | 82% |
| Graduate on time | 54% | 60% |
| Pell students who graduate | 60% | 70% |
| First-gen students who finish | 62% | 64% |
| Low-income students who finish | 61% | 61% |
| Students who transfer out | 27% | 14% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $60,335/yr | $63,080/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Social Sciences 15% · Business, Management & Marketing 14% · Computer & Information Sciences 13% | Business, Management & Marketing 17% · Engineering 13% · Social Sciences 13% |
| Most popular program | Social Sciences — 15% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 17% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 14% of degrees | Engineering — 13% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Computer & Information Sciences — 13% of degrees | Social Sciences — 13% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Psychology — 9% of degrees | Psychology — 10% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies — 9% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 9% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $79,549/yr | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration — $97,835/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 22% | 33% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 12,564 | 20,112 |
| Students per professor | 16 : 1 | 11 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 4,894 | 11,544 |
| Average professor pay | $11,012/mo | $12,415/mo |
| Full-time professors | 57% | 70% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| Median family income | $43,412 | $46,678 |
| Setting | City (midsize) | Suburb (large) |
| Location | Albany, NY | Buffalo, NY |
| Region | Mid East | Mid East |
| Founded | 1844 | 1846 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 3.6% | 11% |
| Men | 46% | 54% |
| Women | 54% | 46% |
| White students | 37% | 44% |
| Black students | 24% | 9.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 20% | 9.4% |
| Asian students | 10% | 18% |
| Two or more races | 4% | 3.9% |
| Other / not reported | 1.9% | 3.7% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 30% | 28% |
| Part-time students | 4.4% | 6.8% |
| Students age 25+ | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $17,210/yr | $19,048/yr |
| Endowment | $166.8M | $1.1B |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 6,890 | 7,725 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $10,040/yr | $9,314/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $6,142/yr | $7,440/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | 19 meals/week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | Yes — Army |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | No | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | No | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FCS | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 19 | 12 |
| Student athletes | 514 | 396 |
| Athletic scholarships | $8.8M | $10.5M |
| Athletics budget | $24.5M | $50.0M |
| Athletics revenue | $24.5M | $50.0M |
| Recruiting spend | $370,107 | $704,266 |
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.