Buffalo, NY · Public · 5,097 undergraduates · urban
SUNY Buffalo State University
Less selective
Buffalo State is an applied public university whose biggest advantage is a compact campus embedded in one of Buffalo’s strongest cultural districts.
Institutional profile
Regionally focused Strong in affordability, and solid in mobility.- Admission
- 75.9% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 48.4%
15,943 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$52,334 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets SUNY Buffalo State apart
Academic design
Programs emphasize learning by doing through research, internships, field study and service, with notable depth in education, arts, design and applied professions.
Campus pattern
The 125-acre campus sits in Elmwood Village among cafés, parks, museums and historic neighborhoods rather than in an isolated college enclave.
Career & value signal
The Burchfield Penney Art Center and nearby Buffalo AKG Art Museum make visual culture visible in everyday campus life.
Can I get in?
75.9% admitted
Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.
Recent applicant pool
15,943About 76 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 13% submitted an SAT. Scores were rare in this class, so the SAT range says more about who volunteered one than about who was admitted.
Admission by residency
Open either way
Degree-seeking, first-time, first-year students · Fall 2024
SUNY Buffalo State University admitted 77.6% of New York applicants and 79.5% of applicants from other states. It admits most of the students who apply, whichever group they are in. New York students took 94% of the seats in the entering class.
12,408 admitted from 15,998 applicants
805 admitted from 1,012 applicants
342 admitted from 1,209 applicants
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for SUNY Buffalo State, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What SUNY Buffalo State weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Programs emphasize learning by doing through research, internships, field study and service, with notable depth in education, arts, design and applied professions.
Make institutional fit specific
Buffalo State is an applied public university whose biggest advantage is a compact campus embedded in one of Buffalo’s strongest cultural districts.
Use the application route carefully
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.
Fee waiver: accepted
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
BusinessAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Teacher preparationAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at SUNY Buffalo State
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Admits separately
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Admits separately
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
Admits separately
What is campus life like?
SUNY Buffalo State beyond the classroom
The 125-acre campus sits in Elmwood Village among cafés, parks, museums and historic neighborhoods rather than in an isolated college enclave.
A defining academic feature
Programs emphasize learning by doing through research, internships, field study and service, with notable depth in education, arts, design and applied professions.
What shapes an ordinary week
The 125-acre campus sits in Elmwood Village among cafés, parks, museums and historic neighborhoods rather than in an isolated college enclave.
Where the degree can lead
The Burchfield Penney Art Center and nearby Buffalo AKG Art Museum make visual culture visible in everyday campus life.