Public · Mostly bachelor's degrees · Large city

SUNY Buffalo State University

Buffalo, New York. 5,097 undergraduates. Admits 73% of applicants.

34%Graduation rate20 pts below the national median for similar colleges (54%)
$10,886Average net price per year45% below the national median for similar colleges ($19,899)
$55,028Median earnings 10 years after starting7% below the national median for similar colleges ($58,912)
$19,854Median debt at graduation8% below the national median for similar colleges ($21,609)
Our read

Graduates' median debt ($19,854) equals 36% of former students' median earnings ten years after starting ($55,028).

What families actually pay

Under $30,000$6,914
$30,000–$48,000$8,222
$48,001–$75,000$12,978
$75,001–$110,000$15,205
Over $110,000$19,039

Average yearly net price for first-time, full-time students who received federal aid, by family income. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships. Source: College Scorecard.

Compare net price across collegesPublished tuition and fees: $8,533 in-state, $20,273 out-of-state.

Do students finish, and what do they earn?

MeasureThis collegeSimilar colleges nationally
Graduation rate34%54%
Return for second year58%76%
Median earnings, 6 years after starting$44,065$49,318
Median earnings, 10 years after starting$55,028$58,912
Median debt at graduation$19,854$21,609

Graduation rate within 150% of normal time; retention is the share of first-year students who return. Earnings are medians for former students who received federal aid, working and not enrolled. National comparison is the median for colleges of the same type (mostly bachelor's degrees).

Programs and what graduates earn

80 programs reported
ProgramGraduates / yrMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian earnings, 5 yrsMedian debt
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians6$75,789$83,550—
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians23$59,784$81,943$27,000
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians10—$81,646—
Information Science/Studies55$47,744$67,700$24,250
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services13$55,485$64,182$35,422
Business Administration, Management and Operations131$44,047$63,129$24,015
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other—$39,345$59,727$21,750
Criminal Justice and Corrections77$39,743$58,370$22,182
Economics20$46,408$56,276$23,000
Special Education and Teaching22—$55,667$25,250
Social Work34$40,232$55,117$25,967
Biology, General47$41,086$54,707$22,075
Psychology, General2$38,828$54,429$21,500
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas55$41,108$54,301$25,702
Political Science and Government11$40,647$53,915$26,093
Chemistry3$49,655$52,941—
Hospitality Administration/Management16$41,146$51,986$21,856
Communication and Media Studies28$34,884$51,654$24,250
History10$33,713$50,909$24,500
Sociology27$41,840$49,635$25,747
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods101$40,102$48,261$20,855
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians19$32,529$48,103$25,411
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities83$33,555$46,120$26,299
Fine and Studio Arts23$30,948$45,325$22,691
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies0—$45,324—
Design and Applied Arts35$40,887—$27,000
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication11$31,273$38,930—
Apparel and Textiles26$34,481—$21,300
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft9$32,738——
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies7$30,462—$26,000
Journalism9———
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication15———
Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians7———
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics2———
English Language and Literature, General9———
Mathematics2———
Applied Mathematics3———
Geography and Environmental Studies5———
Philosophy4———
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences9———
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology60———
Security Science and Technology4———
Anthropology3———
Geography and Cartography2———
International Relations and National Security Studies6———
Urban Studies/Affairs3———
Film/Video and Photographic Arts4———
Music6———
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General22———
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services23——$19,891

Program-level medians for graduates who received federal aid. A dash means the Department of Education suppressed the figure to protect privacy, usually because the program is small. At four-year colleges, certificate graduates often earned a bachelor's at the same time, so their earnings can reflect the degree. Source: College Scorecard, field of study data.

Getting in

73%Admission rate
1,070Average SAT of admitted students
14:1Students per faculty member
57%Undergraduates with a Pell Grant

Similar colleges in New York

Compare colleges side by side

Quick answers

How much does SUNY Buffalo State University cost per year?
The average net price at SUNY Buffalo State University, what students pay after grants and scholarships, is $10,886 per year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much do SUNY Buffalo State University graduates earn?
Former SUNY Buffalo State University students earn a median of $55,028 a year ten years after starting college. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
What is the graduation rate at SUNY Buffalo State University?
34% of SUNY Buffalo State University students graduate within 150% of normal time. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much student debt do SUNY Buffalo State University graduates have?
The median federal student debt at graduation from SUNY Buffalo State University is $19,854. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.