University at Albany- SUNY vs. UB vs. SUNY Stony Brook vs. Binghamton University

Should I go to SUNY at Albany or University at Buffalo? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University at Albany- SUNY or UB 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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SUNY at Albany vs. University at Buffalo vs. Stony Brook University vs. SUNY at Binghamton comparison
SUNY at Albany University at Buffalo Stony Brook University SUNY at Binghamton
SUNY at Albany University at Buffalo Stony Brook University SUNY at Binghamton
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Overview

 University at Albany- SUNY UB SUNY Stony Brook Binghamton University
Location Albany, NY Buffalo, NY Stony Brook, NY Vestal, NY
Setting Small City Large Suburban Large Suburban Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 16,880 31,889 25,865 18,456
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #242 #101 #141 #123
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website albany.edu buffalo.edu stonybrook.edu binghamton.edu
Team Colors                                        

Costs

 University at Albany- SUNY UB SUNY Stony Brook Binghamton University
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $7,070 $7,070 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $25,660 $26,860 $26,860 $26,160
Room & Board $16,182 $16,754 $17,662 $18,294
Avg Net Price $19,165 $20,511 $18,601 $18,860
Avg Grant Aid $9,747 $9,996 $10,266 $10,832
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 74% 82% 61%

Admission

 University at Albany- SUNY UB SUNY Stony Brook Binghamton University
Applied 30,740 38,210 50,341 49,513
Admitted 21,477 26,481 24,670 18,683
Acceptance Rate 69.9% 69.3% 49% 37.1%
Enrolled % 13.2% 16.1% 14.5% 12.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.75 3.94 4.0
Typical High School Grades B+ A- A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low Low High
ACT Range 22/31 27/32 28/33 29/34
SAT Range 1120/1320 1210/1380 1320/1490 1320/1490
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 University at Albany- SUNY UB SUNY Stony Brook Binghamton University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 11:1 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Business (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

 University at Albany- SUNY UB SUNY Stony Brook Binghamton University
Graduation Rate 64% 71% 67% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,800 $58,400 $59,300 $64,500
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 70% 73% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,065 $19,500 $19,000 $19,535
Median Loan Payment $217 $201 $196 $201

Diversity

 University at Albany- SUNY UB SUNY Stony Brook Binghamton University
% Men 11% 17% 14% 11%
% Women 17% 19% 18% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High Very High High
HBCU No No No No
% White 49% 48% 36% 56%
% Black 16% 7% 7% 5%
% Hispanic 15% 6% 11% 10%
% Native American 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2% 2% 2%
% International 6% 16% 13% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 5% 7% 2%

Students

 University at Albany- SUNY UB SUNY Stony Brook Binghamton University
% In-State 93% 88% 83% 83%
% Out-of-State 4% 3% 9% 13%

Campus

 University at Albany- SUNY UB SUNY Stony Brook Binghamton University
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University at Buffalo is larger than than University at Albany- SUNY based on total student enrollment (31,889 students vs. 16,880 students)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. UB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University at Albany- SUNY or UB?

  • SUNY at Albany and UB cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.7% higher at UB than SUNY at Albany ($26,860.00 vs. $25,660.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Albany than UB ($19,165 vs. $20,511)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Albany are 3.5% lower than costs at University at Buffalo ($16,182 vs. $16,754)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Albany than University at Buffalo (93% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University at Buffalo students is 2.6% larger than aid received SUNY at Albany ($9,996 vs. $9,747)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. UB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University at Albany- SUNY or UB? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UB or University at Albany- SUNY .

  • The average SAT score at University at Buffalo (1173) is 82 points higher than at University at Albany- SUNY (1091)
  • Incoming UB students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (24)
  • Accepted freshman UB students have a 0.45 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (3.3)
  • University at Albany- SUNY has a higher acceptance rate (69.9%) than UB (69.3%)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. UB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University at Albany- SUNY or UB? 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 UB and University at Albany- SUNY.

  • The graduation rate at UB is higher than SUNY at Albany (71% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from University at Buffalo earn on average $2,600 more per year than University at Albany- SUNY graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $55,800)
  • University at Buffalo students graduate with a $1,565 lower median federal student loan debt than University at Albany- SUNY graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,065)
  • UB graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than University at Albany- SUNY graduates. ($201 vs. $217)
  • More University at Albany- SUNY graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UB students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 70%)

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