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Compare University at Buffalo vs Stony Brook University

Buffalo, NY · Stony Brook, NY

University at BuffaloStony Brook University
Cost
Price after aid (average)$20,995/yr$18,784/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$14,668/yr$12,943/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$19,000$18,228
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$16,585/yr$15,432/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$21,262/yr$20,728/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$24,117/yr$23,424/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$28,079/yr$27,716/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$201/mo$193/mo
Room & board (on campus)$17,426/yr$18,196/yr
Room & board (off campus)$17,426/yr$17,010/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,500/yr$900/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$4,830/yr$3,248/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$30,785/yr$30,539/yr
Tuition (in-state)$10,936/yr$10,931/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$31,536/yr$32,741/yr
Students with Pell Grants33%39%
Students taking federal loans40%35%
Getting in
Students who get accepted74%49%
SAT range (middle 50%)1210–13801330–1500
SAT average12951419
ACT range (middle 50%)27–3229–33
ACT sections (middle 50%)English 24–33 · Math 25–30English 29–35 · Math 27–34
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received38,21050,341
Students accepted26,48124,670
Students who enrolled4,2713,569
Accepted students who enroll16%14%
Enrolled who sent SAT scores33%36%
Enrolled who sent ACT scores3%3%
High-school GPARequiredRequired
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayRequiredRequired
Recommendation lettersOptional (considered if sent)Required
Class rankOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
College-prep programOptional (considered if sent)Required
Demonstrated competenciesOptional (considered if sent)Not considered
Work experienceOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
English proficiency testRequiredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredNot consideredNot considered
SAT/ACT policyOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate75%76%
Freshmen who come back85%90%
Typical earnings 10 years in$70,814/yr$74,502/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$45,990–$100,175$48,580–$107,097
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)72%78%
White students graduating75%73%
Black students graduating68%71%
Hispanic students graduating68%69%
Asian students graduating80%82%
Typical earnings 6 years in$53,742/yr$59,492/yr
Earn more than a HS grad82%82%
Graduate on time60%65%
Pell students who graduate70%77%
First-gen students who finish64%73%
Low-income students who finish61%70%
Students who transfer out14%14%
Typical earnings 8 years in$63,080/yr$69,248/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsBusiness, Management & Marketing 17% · Engineering 13% · Social Sciences 13%Health Professions 16% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 15% · Psychology 12%
Most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 17% of degreesHealth Professions — 16% of degrees
2nd most popular programEngineering — 13% of degreesBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 15% of degrees
3rd most popular programSocial Sciences — 13% of degreesPsychology — 12% of degrees
4th most popular programPsychology — 10% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 11% of degrees
5th most popular programBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 9% of degreesComputer & Information Sciences — 9% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration — $97,835/yrRegistered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $126,792/yr
Degrees in STEM33%41%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment20,11218,101
Students per professor11 : 119 : 1
Graduate students11,5448,426
Average professor pay$12,415/mo$14,008/mo
Full-time professors70%62%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byMiddle States Commission on Higher EducationMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Median family income$46,678$36,504
SettingSuburb (large)Suburb (large)
LocationBuffalo, NYStony Brook, NY
RegionMid EastMid East
Founded18461957
Public or privatePublicPublic
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationDoctoral Universities: Very High Research ActivityDoctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students11%9.5%
Men54%49%
Women46%51%
White students44%25%
Black students9.3%6.1%
Hispanic or Latino students9.4%16%
Asian students18%36%
Two or more races3.9%3.2%
Other / not reported3.7%4.6%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students28%36%
Part-time students6.8%5.3%
Students age 25+5.2%5.5%
Spent on teaching per student$19,048/yr$22,608/yr
Endowment$1.1B$786.2M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing7,72510,501
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$9,314/yr$10,612/yr
Meal plan charge$7,440/yr$7,050/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per week19 meals/weekVaries by week
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchYesYes
ROTCYes — ArmyYes — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceNoNo
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesYes
Weekend & evening classesYesNo
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careYesYes
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolNoNo
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationYesYes
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNCAA Division I-FBSNCAA Division I-FCS
Football teamYesYes
Varsity teams1214
Student athletes396449
Athletic scholarships$10.5M$8.8M
Athletics budget$50.0M$42.5M
Athletics revenue$50.0M$42.5M
Recruiting spend$704,266$468,154

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.