More selective than 47% of New York colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $24,279. College Scorecard.
Higher than 16% of New York colleges we cover and 16% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 29% of New York colleges we cover and 47% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
SUNY Buffalo State University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 15,943 applicants, SUNY Buffalo State University admitted 12,096 and 1,456 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 980–1240 on the SAT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
SUNY Buffalo State University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for New York residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: New York residents may qualify for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP): up to $5,665 a year toward tuition at eligible New York colleges, for dependent students with New York net taxable family income up to $125,000. At SUNY and CUNY, the Excelsior Scholarship can cover remaining in-state tuition for eligible families (income limits apply). Not included in the prices above. New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)
What SUNY Buffalo State University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of SUNY Buffalo State University took 4.4 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in New York. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $7,405 | $32,360 | 1.8 years |
| $30–48k | $9,393 | $41,047 | 2.3 years |
| $48–75k | $14,706 | $64,265 | 3.6 years |
| $75–110k | $17,155 | $74,967 | 4.2 years |
| $110k+ | $19,332 | $84,481 | 4.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (25% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($52,334) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,701 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
SUNY Buffalo State University majors, earnings & careers
SUNY Buffalo State University offers 69 bachelor's majors across 11 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 14
- Humanities & Languages · 13
- Education · 8
- Communications & Media · 7
- Science & Math · 7
- Arts & Design · 6
- Business & Finance · 4
- Engineering · 4
- Health & Medicine · 4
- Technology & Computing · 1
- Trades & Applied Technology · 1
Highest-earning majors at SUNY Buffalo State University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians | $98,018 | $29,500 |
| Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $82,242 | $28,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians | $73,327 | $24,436 |
| Information Science / Studies | $64,628 | $25,651 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | $64,059 | — |
| Chemistry | $61,262 | $24,373 |
| Dietetics | $60,937 | $34,940 |
| Interdisciplinary Studies | $59,096 | — |
Quick list of all 69 majors
- Anthropology—
- Apparel and Textiles—
- Applied Mathematics—
- Audiovisual Communications Technologies / Technicians$45,120
- Biology$48,735
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$46,224
- Business Administration$57,114
- Chemistry$61,262
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other$49,500
- Communications$51,379
- Crafts / Craft Design, Folk Art and Artisanry—
- Criminal Justice$56,034
- Curriculum and Instruction—
- Dietetics$60,937
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
- Economics$58,497
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$51,209
- Education (Subject Teaching)$49,853
- Education, Other—
- Educational / Instructional Media Design—
- Educational Administration and Supervision$64,059
- Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians$82,242
- Energy Systems Technologies / Technicians—
- English—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies$47,880
- Film and Photography—
- Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other—
- Geography—
- Geography and Environmental Studies—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Graphic Communications—
- Health Sciences—
- History$54,561
- Hospitality Management$48,267
- Human Resources—
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians$98,018
- Information Science / Studies$64,628
- Interdisciplinary Studies$59,096
- International Relations—
- Journalism—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$46,705
- Linguistics—
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians$73,327
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Museology / Museum Studies—
- Music—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$58,041
- Psychology$52,490
- Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other—
- Public Health—
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Security / Homeland Security—
- Social Sciences—
- Social Work$53,130
- Sociology$49,595
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education$57,096
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders—
- Studio Art$45,222
- Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language—
- Theatre$39,863
- Urban Studies / Affairs—
- Woodworking—
- Writing—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Education (Subject Teaching) → High school teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Buffalo
Overall prices in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,423. Housing costs 19% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 41 inches of rain a year, 95 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Erie County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Erie County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare SUNY Buffalo State University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in New York by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUNY Buffalo State University | 73% | $11,346 | 33% | $52,334 | This school |
| CUNY York College | 64% | $4,456 | 32% | $56,945 | |
| SUNY Brockport | 71% | $16,353 | 55% | $54,496 | |
| SUNY Old Westbury | 84% | $11,282 | 45% | $58,526 | |
| SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | 76% | $15,016 | 55% | $50,445 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
SUNY Buffalo State University would cost you $6,890 more per year than CUNY York College, on average.
- Higher sticker price at SUNY Buffalo State University.
- SUNY Buffalo State University gives aided families $3,059 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, New York resident | SUNY Buffalo State University | CUNY York College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sticker price | $24,279 | $14,330 | +$9,949 |
| Average grants | −$12,933 | −$9,874 | −$3,059 |
| You pay | $11,346 | $4,456 | +$6,890 |
“+” means SUNY Buffalo State University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about SUNY Buffalo State University
What is the SUNY Buffalo State University acceptance rate?
SUNY Buffalo State University accepts 73% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 12,096 of 15,943 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 980–1240 on the SAT.
How much does SUNY Buffalo State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $24,279 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $11,346 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $7,405 and families earning $110k+ pay $19,332.
How much do SUNY Buffalo State University graduates earn?
Former SUNY Buffalo State University students earn a median $52,334 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the SUNY Buffalo State University graduation rate?
33% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 58% return for their second year.
How long does a SUNY Buffalo State University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at SUNY Buffalo State University costs about $64,265 after grants ($14,706 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $52,334 ten years after starting, $17,701 more than high school graduates in New York ($34,633), so the cost is repaid in 3.6 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “SUNY Buffalo State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/suny-buffalo-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).