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Union College
About 44 in 100 applicants get into Union College — solidly within reach for students near the ranges below.
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Union College sits in Schenectady proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. International students are a visible presence here — 10.6% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Business/Managerial Economics, where graduates median $114,064 four years out. Faculty pay averages $144,372 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 2,046 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 90.2% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1310 and 1480 — above the NY middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Union College's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
Union College is test-optional: scores are considered when submitted but not required. The 1310–1480 range below describes admitted students who chose to submit — typically Union College's stronger testers — so treat it as the higher end of what gets in.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 650 | 690 | 720 |
| SAT Math | 660 | 710 | 760 |
| ACT Composite | 30 | 32 | 33 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Union College received 9,295 applications and admitted 4,070 (43.8%), with 550 enrolling.
How Union College compares
| Union College | New York median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 43.9% | 70.1% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $69,039 | $17,408 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $88,604 | $60,236 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median Union College student earns $88,604 — 47% above the New York median of $60,236 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
Union College lists tuition at $69,039 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. Union College's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $69,039 as the ceiling, not the bill.
Union College enrolls 2,046 undergraduates — mid-sized, with the trade-offs Union College's scale implies: more programs than a small college, more anonymity too.
80.4% of Union College students finish a bachelor's within six years — 25.5 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $69,039 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at Union College
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Business/Managerial Economics | $114,064 |
| Economics | $99,783 |
| Biology, General | $87,208 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $86,182 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $85,427 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $75,345 |
| Political Science and Government | $75,005 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $68,666 |
Median earnings for these 8 Union College programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $88,604 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 32 additional Union College programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Union College?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1310–1480 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 43.9% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Union College's acceptance rate?
43.8% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 4,070 admitted from 9,295 applicants.
How much does Union College cost?
At Union College, published tuition is $69,039 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Union College's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Union College graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $88,604 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in New York
- Syracuse University — 45.9% admitted
- State University of New York at Cortland — 59.8% admitted
- Stony Brook University — 49% admitted
- Binghamton University — 38.6% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.