Stony Brook vs Stanford - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Stanford admits 3.8% of applicants, while Stony Brook admits 49%.
Average aid for an international student is $85,424 (Stanford) and $2,834 (Stony Brook).
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Stanford starts at $97,545 against $55,085 and ends at $20,266 against $39,824 (Stony Brook).
Ten years on, graduates of Stanford earn noticeably more: $124K 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
Stanford is the more selective of the two (3.8% vs 49.04% acceptance). Stanford ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#301-400 vs #2). Stanford graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($124K vs $75K). Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 vs $68,574 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: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
Choose Stanford for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Stanford is more selective (3.8% vs 49.04% acceptance); Stanford has a higher median SAT (1550 vs 1410).
Stanford graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($124K vs $75K); Stanford has a higher 6-year graduation rate (91.9% vs 75.6%).
Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 vs $68,574); Stanford offers a larger average aid package ($77,279 vs $15,261).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Stony Brook | Stanford |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #2 |
| Rank · THE | - | #6 |
| Acceptance rate | 49.04% | 3.8% |
| Yield rate | 14.7% | 79.9% |
| Median SAT | 1410 | 1550 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.94 |
| Number of applications | 55,880 | 60,646 |
| International students | 10.2% | 13.1% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $75K | $124K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $49K | $73K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $107K | $220K |
| Graduation rate | 75.6% | 91.9% |
| Retention rate | 89.7% | 97.5% |
| Median debt | $18,228 | $12,000 |
| Tuition · year | $32,741 | $68,574 |
| Avg. aid package | $15,261 | $77,279 |
| % of need met | 0.6% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $23,558 | $28,507 |
| Application fee | - | $100 |
| Enrollment | 26,689 | 18,121 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Stony Brook or Stanford?
It's harder to get into Stanford. Stony Brook accepts 49.04% of applicants, while Stanford accepts 3.8%.
Do Stony Brook or Stanford graduates earn more?
Stanford graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $124K vs $75K.
How much is tuition at Stony Brook vs Stanford?
Sticker-price tuition is $32,741 per year at Stony Brook and $68,574 per year at Stanford.
What SAT score do you need for Stony Brook or Stanford?
The median admitted SAT score is 1410 at Stony Brook and 1550 at Stanford; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Stony Brook or Stanford?
Stanford ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Stony Brook vs #2 for Stanford.
Which university offers more financial aid - Stony Brook or Stanford?
The average aid package is $15,261 at Stony Brook and $77,279 at Stanford.
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