Buffalo, New York Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Buffalo, New York: median public in-state tuition $19,775 (+258.8% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $60,681 (+11.6% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 43.9% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $21,028 (+58.5% vs U.S.) 36,581 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 9 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 36,581 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $19,775 (+258.8% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $60,681 (+11.6% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 43.9% (-44.1 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $15,386 (+54.3% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $21,028 (+58.5% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $13,000
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 33.3%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 73.4%
Download the data
Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Buffalo serve students across New York with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 9 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 36,581 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $19,775. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Buffalo, New York and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Buffalo vs New York & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo, New York | $19,775 | $15,386 | $21,028 | 33.3% | 36,581 |
| New York (state median) | $7,340 | $9,373 | $15,250 | 56.0% | 800,099 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Buffalo, New York vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo, New York | $60,681 | 43.9% | 73.4% | 6.0% | — | 75.1% | 0.40 |
| New York (state median) | $60,386 | 42.9% | 81.6% | 4.0% | — | 75.8% | 0.35 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in New York (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo, New York | $19,775 | $15,386 | $21,028 | 33.3% | 36,581 | $60,681 | 43.9% |
| New York | $25,610 | $28,089 | $15,547 | 71.9% | 169,387 | $61,060 | 53.6% |
| Brooklyn | $12,380 | $11,889 | $11,750 | 48.1% | 56,132 | $46,498 | 38.3% |
| Bronx | $8,750 | $13,507 | $9,696 | 56.7% | 40,728 | $65,756 | 40.4% |
| Rochester | $38,826 | $17,264 | $21,274 | 71.3% | 33,739 | $66,944 | 45.3% |
| Rochester | $38,826 | $17,264 | $21,274 | 71.3% | 33,739 | $66,944 | 45.3% |
| Albany | $17,120 | $17,167 | $19,000 | 45.7% | 26,226 | $78,493 | 48.7% |
| Albany | $17,120 | $17,167 | $19,000 | 45.7% | 26,226 | $78,493 | 48.7% |
| Syracuse | $21,758 | $20,614 | $15,000 | 73.1% | 24,683 | $62,731 | 45.5% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Outcomes by sector in Buffalo, New York
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private nonprofit | 3 | $60,681 | 44.1% | 73.4% | 6.0% | — | 77.9% |
Top 5 colleges in Buffalo, New York by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
-
Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 75.2%, University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo
-
Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 67.5%, D'Youville University
D'Youville University
-
Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 66.4%, Canisius University
Canisius University
-
Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 33.3%, SUNY Buffalo State University
SUNY Buffalo State University
-
Rank 5, Graduation Rate, 31.4%, Villa Maria College
Villa Maria College
Top 5 colleges in Buffalo, New York by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
-
Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 45.3%, Canisius University
Canisius University
-
Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 44.1%, D'Youville University
D'Youville University
-
Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 43.9%, University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo
-
Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 41.8%, Villa Maria College
Villa Maria College
-
Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 40.8%, SUNY Buffalo State University
SUNY Buffalo State University
Top 5 most selective colleges in Buffalo, New York (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
-
Rank 1, Admission Rate, 72.4%, Canisius University
Canisius University
-
Rank 2, Admission Rate, 73.0%, SUNY Buffalo State University
SUNY Buffalo State University
-
Rank 3, Admission Rate, 74.2%, University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo
-
Rank 4, Admission Rate, 81.4%, D'Youville University
D'Youville University
-
Rank 5, Admission Rate, 86.6%, Villa Maria College
Villa Maria College
Top 4 colleges in Buffalo, New York by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
-
Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $101,885, D'Youville University
D'Youville University
-
Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $78,621, University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo
-
Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $71,894, SUNY Buffalo State University
SUNY Buffalo State University
-
Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $55,786, Canisius University
Canisius University
Top 5 colleges in Buffalo, New York by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
-
Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $114,737, D'Youville University
D'Youville University
-
Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $109,221, University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo
-
Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $98,018, SUNY Buffalo State University
SUNY Buffalo State University
-
Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $82,563, Canisius University
Canisius University
-
Rank 5, Early-Career Earnings, $48,379, Villa Maria College
Villa Maria College
Top 5 colleges in Buffalo, New York by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
-
Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $63,804, D'Youville University
D'Youville University
-
Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $53,742, University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo
-
Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $46,089, Canisius University
Canisius University
-
Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $40,877, SUNY Buffalo State University
SUNY Buffalo State University
-
Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $33,635, Villa Maria College
Villa Maria College
Top 5 colleges in Buffalo, New York by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
-
Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $63,080, University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo
-
Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $61,535, D'Youville University
D'Youville University
-
Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $55,431, Canisius University
Canisius University
-
Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $46,928, SUNY Buffalo State University
SUNY Buffalo State University
-
Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $34,748, Villa Maria College
Villa Maria College
Top 5 colleges in Buffalo, New York by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
-
Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $70,814, University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo
-
Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $66,942, D'Youville University
D'Youville University
-
Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $60,681, Canisius University
Canisius University
-
Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $52,334, SUNY Buffalo State University
SUNY Buffalo State University
-
Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $38,857, Villa Maria College
Villa Maria College
Top 5 colleges in Buffalo, New York by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
-
Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $217,024, D'Youville University
D'Youville University
-
Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $208,019, University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo
-
Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $181,317, Canisius University
Canisius University
-
Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $176,942, SUNY Buffalo State University
SUNY Buffalo State University
-
Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $110,764, Villa Maria College
Villa Maria College
Top 5 most affordable colleges in Buffalo, New York (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
-
Rank 1, Net Price, $13,494, Villa Maria College
Villa Maria College
-
Rank 2, Net Price, $11,346, SUNY Buffalo State University
SUNY Buffalo State University
-
Rank 3, Net Price, $17,940, Canisius University
Canisius University
-
Rank 4, Net Price, $20,433, D'Youville University
D'Youville University
-
Rank 5, Net Price, $20,995, University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo
Top 5 colleges in Buffalo, New York by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
-
Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 85.2%, University at Buffalo
University at Buffalo
-
Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 76.5%, Villa Maria College
Villa Maria College
-
Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 73.4%, D'Youville University
D'Youville University
-
Rank 4, First-Year Retention, 72.6%, Canisius University
Canisius University
-
Rank 5, First-Year Retention, 57.7%, SUNY Buffalo State University
SUNY Buffalo State University
In-state tuition: Buffalo, New York vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Buffalo, New York median in-state tuition is $19,775, +258.8% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Buffalo, New York vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Buffalo, New York is $21,028 (+58.5% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $13,000.
Median earnings (10 years out): Buffalo, New York vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Buffalo, New York center around $60,681 (+11.6% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Buffalo, New York vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 43.9% at the median Buffalo, New York campus (-44.1 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Buffalo, New York median public in-state tuition is $19,775, about +258.8% vs the national median. Versus the Mid East region, tuition is +167.9%.
Median graduate debt is $21,028 (+58.5% above the U.S. median of $13,271). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Buffalo, New York are $60,681, about +11.6% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 43.9% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (-44.1 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 73.4% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 6.0% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 75.1% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Canisius University (45.3%), D'Youville University (44.1%), University at Buffalo (43.9%), Villa Maria College (41.8%), SUNY Buffalo State University (40.8%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Buffalo, New York, sector medians diverge: Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $60,681 (3 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Buffalo, New York is 33.3% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Buffalo?
This city profile covers 9 campuses in Buffalo, New York with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Buffalo?
Median in-state tuition in Buffalo is $19,775 and median net price is $15,386. For New York overall, medians are $7,340 and $9,373; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Buffalo?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Buffalo is $60,681 vs $60,386 for New York and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Buffalo colleges?
Median completer debt in Buffalo is $21,028 vs $15,250 for New York and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Buffalo?
Top campuses on this page include University at Buffalo (graduation) and University at Buffalo (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Buffalo?
Among 9 campuses in Buffalo, New York, 3 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (3).
Sources & related
- New York college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON