Stony Brook vs Houston - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Stony Brook admits 49%, Houston admits 73.9%.
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Stony Brook: $75K against $62K.
The higher mid-range SAT belongs to Stony Brook: 1410 against 1240, a gap of 170 points.
The lower full cost of study, not tuition alone, belongs to Houston: $45,970 against $55,085.
These numbers describe the cohorts already enrolled, not your chances; treat them as a starting point rather than a forecast.
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
Stony Brook is the more selective of the two (49.04% vs 73.92% acceptance). Houston ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#301-400 vs #201-300). Stony Brook graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($75K vs $62K). Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 vs $32,741 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 Stony Brook for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
Choose Houston for: a higher world ranking, lower tuition, a larger aid package.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Stony Brook is more selective (49.04% vs 73.92% acceptance); Stony Brook has a higher median SAT (1410 vs 1240).
Stony Brook graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($75K vs $62K); Stony Brook has a higher 6-year graduation rate (75.6% vs 64.6%).
Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 vs $32,741); Houston offers a larger average aid package ($16,450 vs $15,261).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Stony Brook | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #201-300 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 49.04% | 73.92% |
| Yield rate | 14.7% | 26.5% |
| Median SAT | 1410 | 1240 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.49 |
| Number of applications | 55,880 | 31,716 |
| International students | 10.2% | 5.7% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $75K | $62K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $49K | $39K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $107K | $93K |
| Graduation rate | 75.6% | 64.6% |
| Retention rate | 89.7% | 87% |
| Median debt | $18,228 | $18,194 |
| Tuition · year | $32,741 | $27,926 |
| Avg. aid package | $15,261 | $16,450 |
| % of need met | 0.6% | 55.1% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $23,558 | $21,819 |
| Application fee | - | $75 |
| Enrollment | 26,689 | 47,980 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Stony Brook or Houston?
It's harder to get into Stony Brook. Stony Brook accepts 49.04% of applicants, while Houston accepts 73.92%.
Do Stony Brook or Houston graduates earn more?
Stony Brook graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $75K vs $62K.
How much is tuition at Stony Brook vs Houston?
Sticker-price tuition is $32,741 per year at Stony Brook and $27,926 per year at Houston.
What SAT score do you need for Stony Brook or Houston?
The median admitted SAT score is 1410 at Stony Brook and 1240 at Houston; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Stony Brook or Houston?
Houston ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Stony Brook vs #201-300 for Houston.
Which university offers more financial aid - Stony Brook or Houston?
The average aid package is $15,261 at Stony Brook and $16,450 at Houston.
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