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Buffalo, NY · Public · 20,112 undergraduates · suburban

University at Buffalo

Moderately selective

UB combines a three-campus metropolitan footprint with a formal four-year completion pledge that places scheduling responsibility on both student and university.

Institutional profile

Highly regarded Strong in mobility, and solid in career outcomes.
Academic Solid Affordability Solid Career Solid Mobility Strong Experience Steady
Academic standing Solid
Affordability Solid
Career outcomes Solid
Mobility Strong
Student experience Steady
Admission
69.3% admitted

38,210 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Resident and nonresident prices differ

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
71.9%

$70,814 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets University at Buffalo apart

Academic design

The Finish in 4 program maps degree requirements and advising checkpoints so participating students can stay on a four-year graduation path.

Campus pattern

North Campus is the main suburban undergraduate hub; South Campus sits in Buffalo neighborhoods; Downtown Campus concentrates major health and professional programs.

A signature opportunity

Under Finish in 4, UB pledges to cover required coursework if university scheduling prevents an eligible participating student from graduating on time.

Can I get in?

69.3% admitted

Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.

Recent applicant pool

38,210

About 69 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 69.3%
Entering class

Academic range

SAT middle 50%1210–1380
11001500
ACT middle 50%27–32
2435

Of admitted students, 33% submitted an SAT, and 3% submitted an ACT. Treat the ACT range as a guide to the students who submitted that test, not to everyone admitted.

Entered with a 4.0 GPA32%

Admission by residency

Harder from out of state

Degree-seeking, first-time, first-year students · Fall 2025

University at Buffalo admitted 80.1% of New York applicants and 70.5% of applicants from other states. Residents were admitted at 1.1 times the out-of-state rate. New York students took 88% of the seats in the entering class.

In-state80.1% admitted

28,935 admitted from 36,127 applicants

Out-of-state70.5% admitted

3,340 admitted from 4,739 applicants

International94.4% admitted

4,505 admitted from 4,771 applicants

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for University at Buffalo, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What University at Buffalo 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  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

The Finish in 4 program maps degree requirements and advising checkpoints so participating students can stay on a four-year graduation path.

02

Make institutional fit specific

UB combines a three-campus metropolitan footprint with a formal four-year completion pledge that places scheduling responsibility on both student and university.

03

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.

Early ActionNov 1
Regular DecisionFeb 1
Fee and waiver$50 application fee

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.

Computer scienceAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

EngineeringAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

NursingAdmits 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.

Published annual cost$36,530
Average annual cost after aid, in-state$21,000
Affordability profileSolid

College funding

Scholarships and financial aid

Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.

University at Buffalo publishes two merit awards, the largest reaching $20,000 a year or more. Each one requires a separate scholarship application. All of them renew past the first year.

Separate scholarship application An award reaching $20,000 a year or more

Through the honors college · Merit · Competitive · Renews each year

Separate scholarship application An award reaching $10,000 to $20,000 a year

Through the honors college · Merit · Competitive · Renews each year

In the season card

These two awards, by name

What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.

  • The name of each award 
  • What it pays 
  • The grades and scores it asks for 
  • How to be considered 
  • What to send, and where 
See the full read
Open financial aid plan

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at University at Buffalo

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+ 
Open the price by income

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.

Complete within 8 years71.9%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one84.8%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$70,814

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.

Psychology, General

Recent graduates564
Median earnings$52,303

Biology, General

Recent graduates341
Median earnings$57,298

Communication and Media Studies

Recent graduates330
Median earnings$62,912

Admits separately

Computer Science

Recent graduates254
Median earnings$105,160

Admits separately

What is campus life like?

University at Buffalo beyond the classroom

North Campus is the main suburban undergraduate hub; South Campus sits in Buffalo neighborhoods; Downtown Campus concentrates major health and professional programs.

Academics

A defining academic feature

The Finish in 4 program maps degree requirements and advising checkpoints so participating students can stay on a four-year graduation path.

Campus setting

What shapes an ordinary week

North Campus is the main suburban undergraduate hub; South Campus sits in Buffalo neighborhoods; Downtown Campus concentrates major health and professional programs.

Signature opportunity

A reason to look closer

Under Finish in 4, UB pledges to cover required coursework if university scheduling prevents an eligible participating student from graduating on time.

20,112 undergraduatesMid-Atlanticsuburban setting70% of first-year students live on campus