University at Buffalo

Public · Moderately Selective · NY

Photo: Y. G. Lulat (CC BY-SA 3.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationNY · Northeast

SettingSuburban

Undergrads20,112

Student:faculty11:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate60.2%

6-yr grad rate75.2%

Drop-out rate14.8%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$11k

Out-of-state tuition$32k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity56.2%

Gender diversity45.8%

International11.5%

Identity—

Overview

The University at Buffalo is the largest campus in the State University of New York system and serves as its flagship research university. Split between a suburban North Campus in Amherst and an older South Campus closer to the city, UB offers students research-university scale and resources at public-school cost, anchored further by a substantial academic medical campus in downtown Buffalo, part of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, that supplements the two traditional campuses. UB traces its roots back to the mid-1800s and joined the SUNY system in the 1960s, giving it a longer institutional history than most SUNY schools.

Academics

Engineering, computer science, pharmacy, and the health professions are particular strengths, supported by the downtown Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, which give students clinical and research exposure not available at most SUNY schools. UB's computer science program has a strong research reputation in areas like biometrics and data science, and its School of Management and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences both carry real weight with regional employers. UB's research output is substantial for a public university of its size, with active graduate and doctoral programs across these fields, and undergraduates in STEM disciplines can often find their way into that research if they seek it out.

Campus & student life

UB draws a large international student population, particularly from China and India, giving its campus a notably global character relative to many SUNY schools. Buffalo's winters, shaped by lake-effect snow off Lake Erie, and the campus's suburban North Campus setting shape day-to-day student life, while the South Campus and downtown medical campus connect students to the city itself. Bulls athletics, competing in the Mid-American Conference, have a modest but genuine following, and the Center for the Arts hosts a steady stream of performances and events.

Getting in

Admissions is holistic and competitive for a public university, with UB drawing applicants who are comparing it directly against other SUNY flagships and out-of-state publics on the strength of its research profile and relative affordability. Honors College admission adds a further, more selective layer for students who want smaller classes and closer faculty access within a large research university setting.

After graduation

Graduates in engineering, computer science, and health fields place well both regionally in upstate New York and nationally, and the pharmacy and health-professions programs in particular carry strong reputations that translate into competitive job and graduate-school placement. The large international student population also feeds a genuinely global alumni network, not just a regional one, particularly in technology and engineering fields.

Worth knowing

Buffalo's winters are a real and lasting feature of student life, not just a stereotype, and students sensitive to cold and snow should weigh that honestly. The split between North and South campuses means a shuttle bus is a normal part of daily life for many students, depending on where their classes and housing fall.

buffalo.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate74.2%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1210–1380 · ACT 27–32

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionNov 1

Regular decisionFeb 1

Verified from the school’s admissions page ↗

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App, Coalition (Scoir), or SUNY application.

Priority / scholarshipDec 15

Financial aid formsMar 1

UB's Early Action is non-binding and doesn't restrict applying elsewhere; there is no Early Decision option. The December 15 priority date is specifically for Honors College priority consideration, not a general priority deadline.

Interviews: No interview is required for general admission; an audition is required for Department of Music and Theatre & Dance applicants, including intended theatre majors with professional experience.

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗