SUNY at Albany: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

Troy, New York · Private nonprofit · Moderately selective · CDS 2024-2025

Acceptance rate
58%
17,193 applicants
Avg SAT
1450
Mid 50: 1390–1500
In-state tuition
$61,884
per year, before aid
Net price (avg)
$33,139
after aid, what families pay

SUNY at Albany is a private institution located in Troy, New York with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, SUNY at Albany admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 58%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1415 and an ACT composite around 33. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $33,139 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether SUNY at Albany is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.

What GPA does my child need for SUNY at Albany?

SUNY at Albany admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.

Actual GPA distribution of admitted students
4.00
32.0%
3.75–3.99
36.0%
3.50–3.74
22.0%
3.25–3.49
6.0%
3.00–3.24
3.0%
2.50–2.99
1.0%
From the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by SUNY at Albany.

What does SUNY at Albany weight in admissions?

SUNY at Albany reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.

Very Important3 factors
  • Rigor of secondary school record
  • Class rank
  • Academic GPA
Important4 factors
  • Application essay
  • Recommendations
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Character/personal qualities
Considered7 factors
  • Standardized test scores
  • Talent/ability
  • First generation status
  • Alumni/ae relation
  • Volunteer work
  • Work experience
  • Level of applicant's interest
Not Considered4 factors
  • Interview
  • Geographical residence
  • State residency
  • Religious affiliation/commitment

SAT and ACT scores SUNY at Albany typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 680–770, with an EBRW midpoint near 700. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 30–34. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.

SAT Composite
25th percentile1390
50th percentile1450
75th percentile1500
% submitting SAT49%
ACT Composite
25th percentile30
50th percentile33
75th percentile34
% submitting ACT11%
Current testing policy
  • Tests required: Standardized test scores are part of the standard application package.
  • • Policy detail: Required

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

Top 10% of class56%
Top 25% of class90%
Top 50% of class98%
% submitting class rank28%

How much does SUNY at Albany actually cost?

Published tuition is $61,884 for in-state students and $61,884 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,530 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $33,139 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 19% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.

In-state tuition
Out-of-state tuition$64,400
Room and board$18,560
Average net price (after aid)$33,139
Application fee$70 (waivers available)

Application deadlines and early decision data for SUNY at Albany

Regular admission
Regular deadline1/15
Notification date3/11
Reply deadline5/1
Early admission
Offers Early DecisionYes
ED deadline11/1
ED acceptance rate58%
Offers Early ActionYes
EA deadline12/1

Will my child graduate from SUNY at Albany?

Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.

Freshman retention
91%
returned for sophomore year
4-year graduation
null%
finished on time
6-year graduation
84%
finished within 6 years

Other colleges in New York parents ask about

How parents track GPA toward selective schools like SUNY at Albany

Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like SUNY at Albany recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.

Common questions parents ask about SUNY at Albany

What GPA do I need for SUNY at Albany?

SUNY at Albany admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.

What SAT or ACT score does SUNY at Albany typically admit?

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 680–770, with an EBRW midpoint near 700. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 30–34.

How much does SUNY at Albany actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at SUNY at Albany after grants and scholarships is $33,139 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.

Is SUNY at Albany realistic for my child?

Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, SUNY at Albany is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.

Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by SUNY at Albany, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.