Hi there! With New York being home to one of the largest public university systems in the United States, it‘s common for people to confuse various colleges in the state. You may be wondering – is Syracuse University included among SUNY‘s 64 institutions?
I‘m here to clear up any uncertainty. As an education expert, I can definitively say that while Syracuse University resides in New York, it is a private research institution unaffiliated with the State University of New York (SUNY) network. However, SUNY and Syracuse share some common traits that sometimes lead to misconceptions.
Let me walk you through everything you need to know about SUNY, Syracuse, and how they differ.
What is the SUNY System?
First, some background on SUNY. The State University of New York is a massive public college system that provides affordable and accessible education across New York. It was founded in 1948 and now serves over 1.3 million students annually.
SUNY by the Numbers:
- 64 campuses
- Over 7,000 degree and certificate programs
- 430,000+ enrolled students (Fall 2020)
- Nearly 90,000 faculty
- Over $1.7 billion in annual research expenditures
It includes various types of institutions:
- Community Colleges
- Technical Colleges
- Comprehensive 4-Year Colleges
- Research Universities
Well-known SUNY schools include University at Albany, Binghamton University, University at Buffalo, and Stony Brook University. SUNY schools dominate rankings of top public regional universities in the Northeast.
For New York residents, SUNY campuses provide affordable, quality education close to home. In-state tuition averaged just $7,070 for the 2019-2020 academic year. Given SUNY‘s size and breadth, it offers an incredibly wide range of programs. SUNY graduates go on to great success in fields like engineering, healthcare, education, technology, and more.
Overview of Syracuse University
Now, onto Syracuse. Founded in 1870, Syracuse University is a private research institution located in Syracuse, New York.
It originally started as a Methodist seminary but grew over time into a more comprehensive institution. Today, Syracuse enrolls over 17,500 students and is made up of 13 distinct schools and colleges:
- The College of Arts and Sciences
- School of Architecture
- School of Education
- College of Engineering and Computer Science
- David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
- College of Law
- College of Visual and Performing Arts
- Martin J. Whitman School of Management
- Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
- S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
- College of Professional Studies
- School of Information Studies
- College of Nursing
With a strong focus on research, Syracuse University spends over $200 million on research initiatives each year. This allows students at every level to engage in impactful hands-on research.
Syracuse is globally respected for its programs in fields like public administration, public policy, communications, business, information science, and more. It‘s ranked as one of the top 100 research universities in the U.S.
However, as a private institution, Syracuse comes with higher tuition costs – $52,850 for the 2022-2023 academic year. Thankfully they provide generous scholarship opportunities to help offset expenses.
Key Differences Between SUNY Schools and Syracuse
It‘s easy to confuse SUNY and Syracuse at first glance – both provide New York students with highly ranked degree programs across diverse subjects. But there are a few major differences:
Public vs. Private Funding and Governance
The State University of New York, as a public system, receives funding from the state government and operates under its oversight. Funding levels are tied to New York‘s budget.
Conversely, Syracuse University is a private nonprofit institution governed by an independent Board of Trustees. As a result, Syracuse must rely on other sources like tuition dollars, alumni donations, private grants, and endowment income rather than state funding.
This affects tuition rates, as covered next…
Tuition and Affordability
Given SUNY‘s public status and state funding, New York residents can attend SUNY schools at very affordable rates compared to private alternatives.
According to data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), SUNY schools had these average in-state tuition/fees for 2019-2020:
| SUNY School Type | Average In-State Tuition & Fees, 2019-2020 |
|---|---|
| Community Colleges | $4,922 |
| Technical Colleges | $7,778 |
| Comprehensive 4-Year Colleges | $7,439 |
| Doctoral Granting Institutions | $10,634 |
That compares quite favorably to 2019-2020 average in-state tuition of $41,904 at private nonprofit 4-year institutions nationwide according to IPEDS.
Syracuse‘s status as a private university means significantly higher tuition rates:
| Institution | 2022-2023 Tuition & Fees |
|---|---|
| Syracuse University | $52,850 |
However, Syracuse does make efforts to provide academic scholarships and need-based financial aid. 83% of students receive some form of aid.
Academic Programming
Given the sheer size of the SUNY system at 64 campuses, it unsurprisingly provides an exceptionally wide scope of academic degree programs – over 7,000 credentials across certificate, associate, bachelor, master and doctoral levels. Students can find programs in everything from photography to PhDs in physics.
With just over 17,500 students, Syracuse takes a more tailored approach by focusing resources around key areas of expertise, including:
- Communications
- Public Administration & Policy
- Business
- Engineering Applications
- Health & Wellness
- Applied Sciences
This strategic emphasis allows Syracuse to compete among the best universities globally for programs in fields like communications, public affairs, information studies, and more.
In fact, Syracuse has top-50 ranked graduate programs across several disciplines:
| Program | Latest Ranking |
|---|---|
| Library and Information Studies | #1 |
| Speech-Language Pathology | #6 |
| Audiology | #7 |
| Photography | #9 |
| Fine Arts | #12 |
| Public Affairs | #12 |
| Business (Part-time MBA) | #21 |
Source: U.S. News & World Report
The focused approach allows students access to an exceptionally high caliber of research and education in these signature areas.
Campus Culture
With well over 400,000 students statewide, most SUNY campuses sustain large-scale undergraduate populations. Class sizes can vary dramatically depending on the major and year. While introductory lectures may have hundreds of students, upper-level major courses often get much smaller.
Syracuse offers a more intimate campus environment and academic experience overall. The average class size is just 20 students. This fosters closer student-faculty collaboration, mentoring relationships, and thoughtful discussion.
Additionally, while SUNY schools attract primarily regional enrollment, Syracuse‘s programs draw students both domestically and globally. This infuses campus culture with diverse perspectives.
Conclusion
I hope this overview clarifies the relationship (or lack thereof) between the State University of New York system and Syracuse University. While both provide exceptional academic programming for New York students, Syracuse chartes an independent course as private institution.
Syracuse leverages its private status to focus resources only around core areas of expertise. This powers world-class research and education opportunities for students in fields like communications, public affairs, engineering applications, health and wellness, and more.
But the tradeoff is higher tuition rates given Syracuse‘s reliance on tuition rather than state support. Thankfully, robust alumni networks and career outcomes in industries like media, politics, business, and technology help offset long-term costs after graduation.
Please let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m happy to discuss more about how SUNY and Syracuse each offer tremendous value for students in their own distinctive ways.