Acceptance Rate
74%
Avg. SAT
1380
75th percentile
“Buffalo's gritty public research powerhouse, where ambitious undergrads dive into top-tier engineering and medicine amid endless lake-effect snow.”
Buffalo, NY
Location
Large Suburb
Campus Setting
You'll trace the University at Buffalo's roots back to 1846, when future President Millard Fillmore helped launch it as a private medical college amid Buffalo's rise as a canal-era boomtown; it joined the SUNY system in 1962, evolving into the system's largest and most research-intensive campus. Spanning two sprawling sites—a futuristic North Campus in Amherst suburbs and an older South Campus near the city—UB draws driven students who thrive on scale, diversity (over 40% from underrepresented groups, tons of internationals), and a no-nonsense work ethic. The personality here skews pragmatic and resilient, like Buffalo itself: affordable living, a food scene anchored by chicken wings and beef on weck, proximity to Niagara Falls and Toronto, but tradeoffs include brutal winters dumping over 90 inches of snow yearly and a less polished vibe than flashier flagships.
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
In UB's classrooms, you navigate a mix of massive lectures in the cavernous Clemens Hall and intimate seminars where your 11:1 student-faculty ratio shines through, especially in honors programs; professors, many leading R1-level labs, push you toward undergrad research from day one—think engineering students prototyping in the new $100M multidisciplinary building or biomed majors shadowing at the Jacobs School of Medicine, which pumps out physicians faster than most publics. Strengths cluster in engineering (top 40 nationally), pharmacy, architecture (Marcel Breuer-designed studios), and public health, with interdisciplinary hubs like the Clinical and Translational Science Institute letting you blend fields. Yet the bigness means fierce competition for spots in coveted tracks and occasional bureaucratic hurdles, less hand-holding than at smaller privates.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
20,359 undergrad • 11,544 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
44%
Black / African American
8%
Hispanic / Latino
7%
Asian
14%
Other / Multi-racial
27%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Buffalo, NY
Varsity Athletics
A typical week at UB kicks off with early-morning treks across North Campus's stark Brutalist plazas (bundle up—winds off Lake Erie hit 50 mph), grinding through classes and club meetings amid 500+ organizations, from the competitive Bulls marching band to South Asian fusion dance crews. Weekends ignite with MAC football tailgates, Greek parties in off-campus houses, or dives into Buffalo's Allentown bar scene; residential life clusters freshmen in high-rises like Ellicott Complex, fostering bonds, but upperclassmen often commute or scatter into affordable city apartments. The vibe pulses diverse and energetic—big Diwali bashes, hackathons—but challenges hit hard: isolation in snowbound months, a commuter-heavy feel diluting some traditions, and a social scene that rewards outgoing types over introverts.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
NCAA
ROTC & Veteran Support
Army
Yes
Navy
No
Air Force
No
Veteran’s Programs Available
Credit for military training
Yes
Dedicated point of contact for veteran support services
Yes
Recognized student veteran organization
Yes
Member of DoD Voluntary Educational Partnership MOU
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
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Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
85%
4 Years Graduation Rate
65%
6 Years Graduation Rate
75%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$70,814
85% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at University at Buffalo and return in the fall. 65% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 75% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
65%
4-5 years
10%
6-8 years
1%
Non-grad
24%
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Key Statistics
Type
Public
Tuition
$7,070
Acceptance
74%
Undergrads
20,359
4-Year Grad Rate
65%
Endowment
$971M
Buffalo, NY 14260-1660
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