Dr. Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education | Official website
Dr. Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education | Official website
Data shows that students paid $13,659 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $265 more than the previous school year.
Among the 19 institutions in the county, Daemen University stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $32,760. Canisius University followed with an average of $31,800 per year. Erie Community College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $6,093.
At the time, a total of $84.7 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Erie County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $38.1 million.
Currently there are 19 higher education institutions in Erie County, including SUNY Buffalo State University, Empire Beauty School-Buffalo, and Leon Studio One School of Beauty Knowledge.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villa Maria College | 99 | $1,761,654 | $17,794 | 44 | $335,551 | $7,626 |
| Empire Beauty School-Buffalo | 32 | $187,680 | $5,865 | 34 | $255,000 | $7,500 |
| D'Youville University | 200 | $4,511,751 | $22,559 | 112 | $1,408,577 | $12,577 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Buffalo | 62 | $581,713 | $9,382 | 35 | $186,972 | $5,342 |
| New York Institute of Massage Inc | 36 | $235,108 | $6,531 | 36 | $375,333 | $10,426 |
| University at Buffalo | 3,078 | $30,766,718 | $9,996 | 2,126 | $16,554,821 | $7,787 |
| Professional Culinary Academy | 20 | $109,850 | $5,493 | 15 | $84,076 | $5,605 |
| Trocaire College | 36 | $305,769 | $8,494 | 28 | $179,436 | $6,408 |
| SUNY Buffalo State University | 1,098 | $9,794,720 | $8,921 | 748 | $4,496,798 | $6,012 |
| Canisius University | 475 | $10,819,795 | $22,779 | 275 | $2,192,584 | $7,973 |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Tonawanda | 38 | $189,781 | $4,994 | 35 | $194,899 | $5,569 |
| Leon Studio One School of Beauty Knowledge | 0 | $0 | $0 | 7 | $62,437 | $8,920 |
| Continental School of Beauty Culture-West Seneca | 36 | $211,580 | $5,877 | 36 | $257,969 | $7,166 |
| Daemen University | 358 | $8,998,715 | $25,136 | 282 | $2,354,613 | $8,350 |
| Hilbert College | 277 | $5,173,396 | $18,677 | 216 | $2,172,423 | $10,058 |
| Erie 2 Chautauqua Cattaraugus BOCES-Practical Nursing Program | 32 | $250,358 | $7,824 | 17 | $128,169 | $7,539 |
| Erie Community College | 1,063 | $7,040,957 | $6,624 | 397 | $1,892,316 | $4,767 |
| Bryant & Stratton College-Online | 592 | $3,521,438 | $5,948 | 554 | $4,672,422 | $8,434 |
| Erie 1 BOCES | 62 | $213,000 | $3,435 | 50 | $255,000 | $5,100 |
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