Yale vs Stony Brook - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Yale: 4.7% against 49% (Stony Brook).
Real money goes to international students at Yale ($84,185 on average), while Stony Brook stops at $2,834.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Yale starts at $98,900 against $55,085 and ends at $24,547 against $39,824 (Stony Brook).
Ten years on, graduates of Yale earn noticeably more: $101K 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
Yale is the more selective of the two (4.7% vs 49.04% acceptance). Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#11 vs #301-400). Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $75K). Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 vs $72,500 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 Yale for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose Stony Brook for: lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Yale is more selective (4.7% vs 49.04% acceptance); Yale has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1410).
Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $75K); Yale has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.7% vs 75.6%).
Stony Brook has lower sticker-price tuition ($32,741 vs $72,500); Yale offers a larger average aid package ($74,353 vs $15,261).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Yale | Stony Brook |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #11 | #301-400 |
| Rank · THE | #10 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 4.7% | 49.04% |
| Yield rate | 68.4% | 14.7% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1410 |
| Avg. GPA | - | - |
| Number of applications | 50,264 | 55,880 |
| International students | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $101K | $75K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $66K | $49K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $194K | $107K |
| Graduation rate | 95.7% | 75.6% |
| Retention rate | 99.4% | 89.7% |
| Median debt | $12,975 | $18,228 |
| Tuition · year | $72,500 | $32,741 |
| Avg. aid package | $74,353 | $15,261 |
| % of need met | 100% | 0.6% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $22,185 | $23,558 |
| Application fee | $80 | - |
| Enrollment | 15,657 | 26,689 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Yale or Stony Brook?
It's harder to get into Yale. Yale accepts 4.7% of applicants, while Stony Brook accepts 49.04%.
Do Yale or Stony Brook graduates earn more?
Yale graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $101K vs $75K.
How much is tuition at Yale vs Stony Brook?
Sticker-price tuition is $72,500 per year at Yale and $32,741 per year at Stony Brook.
What SAT score do you need for Yale or Stony Brook?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Yale and 1410 at Stony Brook; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Yale or Stony Brook?
Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #11 for Yale vs #301-400 for Stony Brook.
Which university offers more financial aid - Yale or Stony Brook?
The average aid package is $74,353 at Yale and $15,261 at Stony Brook.
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