University at Buffalo--SUNY
Buffalo, NY
U.S. News 2026 National Universities rank: #75
University at Buffalo is the largest campus in the State University of New York system, founded in 1846 as a private medical college with Millard Fillmore as its first chancellor, and it joined the SUNY system in 1962. Most academic life happens on the 1,172-acre North Campus in suburban Amherst, about 12 miles from downtown Buffalo, though the original South Campus and a newer Downtown Campus tied to the medical school still operate. UB is an AAU member and the highest-ranked public research university in New York State outside the NYC schools, with the Buffalo Bulls competing in NCAA Division I FBS football as the only SUNY school at that level, playing in the Mid-American Conference. Undergraduates choose from more than 100 bachelor's degree programs across 13 schools and colleges, including an Honors College and combined bachelor's-master's tracks. First-year housing is concentrated in the Ellicott Complex and Governors Complex, mostly double rooms with shared hall bathrooms, and on-campus housing is guaranteed for students who submit a deposit by the May 1 deadline. The school suits students who want a large, research-active public university with Division I athletics and a low cost relative to private alternatives, rather than a small-college experience with close faculty contact by default.
Key figures
- Acceptance Rate (Overall): 74.2%
- Average Net Price (Federal Aid Recipients): $20,995
- 6-Year Graduation Rate: 75.2%
- Median Starting Salary: $44,259
- Total Undergraduate Enrollment: 20,112
- SAT Middle 50% (composite midpoint): 1295
- Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 11