Plaza College vs. SUNY Cortland

Comparable Facts

Compare Plaza College in Forest Hills, NY with State University of New York at Cortland in Cortland, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

State University of New York at Cortland is larger than Plaza College based on total student enrollment (6,938 students vs. 1,002 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Plaza College is located in Forest Hills, NY (Large City setting); State University of New York at Cortland is in Cortland, NY (Rural Fringe setting).
• Plaza College is a private, for-profit 4-year institution. State University of New York at Cortland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Plaza College 28:1; State University of New York at Cortland 15:1.

Plaza College vs. SUNY Cortland Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Plaza College or SUNY Cortland? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at State University of New York at Cortland than Plaza College ($19,847 vs. $19,860).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Plaza College are 0.4% lower than at State University of New York at Cortland ($15,500 vs. $15,560).
• Plaza College is 74.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than SUNY Cortland (about $6,576 more per year; $15,450.00 vs. $8,874.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 21.6% higher at SUNY Cortland than at Plaza College (about $3,334 more per year; $18,784.00 vs. $15,450.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Plaza College than at State University of New York at Cortland (93% vs. 63%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by State University of New York at Cortland students is 23.8% larger than aid received by Plaza College students ($8,254 vs. $6,665).

Plaza College vs. SUNY Cortland Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Plaza College or SUNY Cortland? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SUNY Cortland and Plaza College.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsState University of New York at Cortland 1090/1240.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsState University of New York at Cortland 22/27.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Plaza College - Test-free; SUNY Cortland - Test-free.
• SUNY Cortland has a higher acceptance rate (59.8%) than Plaza College (30%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 54.9% at Plaza College vs. 13.3% at SUNY Cortland.

Plaza College vs. SUNY Cortland Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Plaza College and SUNY Cortland? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from State University of New York at Cortland earn a median of about $20,000 more per year than Plaza College graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,300 vs. $27,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Plaza College graduates have a $7,585 lower median loan debt than SUNY Cortland graduates ($13,915 vs. $21,500).
• Among borrowers, Plaza College graduates have an estimated $79 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SUNY Cortland graduates ($143 vs. $222).
• More SUNY Cortland graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Plaza College students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 30%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.