Dartmouth vs Stony Brook - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Dartmouth admits 6% of applicants, while Stony Brook admits 49%.
For an applicant from outside the US the difference is financial: Dartmouth awards international students $87,562 on average, Stony Brook awards $2,834.
The one that looks dearer ends up cheaper: Dartmouth lists $96,098 against $55,085 (Stony Brook), but after average aid what remains is $20,797 against $39,824.
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Dartmouth: $97K against $75K.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Dartmouth is the more selective of the two (6.02% vs 49.04% acceptance). Dartmouth graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($97K vs $75K). Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 vs $71,525 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Dartmouth for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
Choose Stony Brook for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Dartmouth is more selective (6.02% vs 49.04% acceptance); Dartmouth has a higher median SAT (1520 vs 1410).
Dartmouth graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($97K vs $75K); Dartmouth has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.5% vs 75.6%).
Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 vs $71,525); Dartmouth offers a larger average aid package ($75,301 vs $15,261).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Dartmouth | Stony Brook |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #301-400 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 6.02% | 49.04% |
| Yield rate | 70.9% | 14.7% |
| Median SAT | 1520 | 1410 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 28,230 | 55,880 |
| International students | 14.5% | 10.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $97K | $75K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $65K | $49K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $189K | $107K |
| Graduation rate | 95.5% | 75.6% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 89.7% |
| Median debt | $17,500 | $18,228 |
| Tuition · year | $71,525 | $32,741 |
| Avg. aid package | $75,301 | $15,261 |
| % of need met | 100% | 0.6% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $24,255 | $23,558 |
| Application fee | - | - |
| Enrollment | 7,273 | 26,689 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Dartmouth or Stony Brook?
It's harder to get into Dartmouth. Dartmouth accepts 6.02% of applicants, while Stony Brook accepts 49.04%.
Do Dartmouth or Stony Brook graduates earn more?
Dartmouth graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $97K vs $75K.
How much is tuition at Dartmouth vs Stony Brook?
Sticker-price tuition is $71,525 per year at Dartmouth and $32,741 per year at Stony Brook.
What SAT score do you need for Dartmouth or Stony Brook?
The median admitted SAT score is 1520 at Dartmouth and 1410 at Stony Brook; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university offers more financial aid - Dartmouth or Stony Brook?
The average aid package is $75,301 at Dartmouth and $15,261 at Stony Brook.
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