SUNY Cortland vs. CW

Comparable Facts

Compare State University of New York at Cortland in Cortland, NY with The College of Westchester in White Plains, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

State University of New York at Cortland is larger than CW based on total student enrollment (6,938 students vs. 759 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• State University of New York at Cortland is located in Cortland, NY (Rural Fringe setting); The College of Westchester is in White Plains, NY (Small City setting).
• State University of New York at Cortland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. The College of Westchester is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: State University of New York at Cortland 15:1; The College of Westchester 19:1.

SUNY Cortland vs. CW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Cortland or CW? 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 The College of Westchester than SUNY Cortland ($15,871 vs. $19,847).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The College of Westchester are 38.8% lower than at State University of New York at Cortland ($9,520 vs. $15,560).
• The College of Westchester is 183.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than SUNY Cortland (about $16,317 more per year; $25,191.00 vs. $8,874.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 34.1% higher at CW than at State University of New York at Cortland (about $6,407 more per year; $25,191.00 vs. $18,784.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at The College of Westchester than at State University of New York at Cortland (100% vs. 63%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by The College of Westchester students is 91.9% larger than aid received by State University of New York at Cortland students ($15,841 vs. $8,254).

SUNY Cortland vs. CW Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SUNY Cortland or CW? 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 CW and SUNY Cortland.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: State University of New York at Cortland 1090/1240.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: State University of New York at Cortland 22/27.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SUNY Cortland - Test-free; CW - Test-free.
• CW has a higher acceptance rate (94.4%) than SUNY Cortland (59.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 13.3% at SUNY Cortland vs. 21.3% at CW.

SUNY Cortland vs. CW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SUNY Cortland and CW? 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 $7,500 more per year than CW graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,300 vs. $39,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, State University of New York at Cortland graduates have a $2,394 lower median loan debt than CW graduates ($21,500 vs. $23,894).
• Among borrowers, SUNY Cortland graduates have an estimated $25 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CW graduates ($222 vs. $247).
• More SUNY Cortland graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CW students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 31%)

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.