SUNY Poly vs University of Massachusetts-Amherst (UMass)

SUNY Polytechnic Institute and University of Massachusetts-Amherst, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. SUNY Poly, known for its focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), boasts a lower acceptance rate, indicating a more selective admissions process. UMass-Amherst, on the other hand, offers a broader range of academic programs, including liberal arts and humanities, and has a higher acceptance rate. While SUNY Poly's student body is predominantly male, UMass-Amherst has a more balanced gender ratio. Both universities offer a vibrant campus life, with diverse student organizations and athletic programs. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between these two institutions, including popular majors, graduation rates, and more. Explore the table to find the university that best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	SUNY Polytechnic Institute	University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Overview
Location	Utica, New York	Amherst, Massachusetts
Campus setting	Suburb: Midsize	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	75.0%	91.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	77.3%	65.5%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $60	Undergraduate: $85 Graduate: $85
SAT range	1040 - 1400	1250 - 1460
ACT range	23 - 31	28 - 33
Students submitting SAT score	29.0%	26.0%
Students submitting ACT score	5.0%	5.0%
Total number of applicants	2,686	42,540
Total number of admissions given out	2,075	27,877
Admitted students who chose to enroll	307	4,872
Yield rate	14.8%	17.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $27,040 Out of state: $37,800	In state: $32,434 Out of state: $52,959
Average net price	$10,245	$17,291
Tuition	In state: $7,070 Out of state: $17,830	In state: $15,791 Out of state: $36,316
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $8,444 Meal plan: $4,960	Room/dormitory: $7,611 Meal plan: $5,984
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	87.0% Average amount $9,128	86.0% Average amount $10,662
Students receiving federal student loan	56.0% Average amount $4,971	39.0% Average amount $5,123
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $8,955	7.0% Average amount $15,924

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,037 Men 67.3% Women 32.7%	24,231 Men 48.8% Women 51.2%
Graduate students	813 Men 40.1% Women 59.9%	7,814 Men 47.9% Women 52.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	2.0%	N/A
International students	4.8%	11.1%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Midsize	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,076	13,582
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	New York Alabama Connecticut Florida Mississippi	New York New Jersey Connecticut California New Hampshire

Academics
Popular study areas	Computer and Information Science Business Health Professions Engineering Engineering Technologies	Business Engineering Health Professions Multidisciplinary Studies Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	18:1
Institutional accreditation	Middle States Commission on Higher Education	New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	65.4%	83.7%
Dropout rate	7.2%	5.1%
Transferred out	26.8%	10.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $97,384 Year 2: $96,627 Year 3: $101,575 Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $58,527 Year 2: $75,518 Year 3: $82,639 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,787 Year 2: $64,358 Year 3: $70,835 Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $49,615 Year 2: $58,221 Year 3: $70,350 Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $56,696 Year 2: $60,523 Year 3: $66,979 Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,531 Year 2: $59,711 Year 3: $64,674 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $59,124 Year 3: $63,657 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $53,881 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: $62,982 Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,742 Year 2: $48,667 Year 3: $55,049 Health and Medical Administrative Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,223 Year 2: $42,682 Year 3: $54,641	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $112,236 Year 2: $99,741 Year 3: $118,959 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $97,497 Year 2: $97,071 Year 3: $105,578 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $79,216 Year 2: $78,232 Year 3: $95,030 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,683 Year 2: $75,518 Year 3: $94,055 Education, General (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $71,391 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $79,970 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $65,906 Year 2: $67,202 Year 3: $79,007 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,222 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $76,636 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $68,607 Year 2: $68,647 Year 3: $74,913 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $66,719 Year 2: $65,594 Year 3: $74,578 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,571 Year 2: $63,646 Year 3: $73,746

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