Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science vs Unity College

Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science and Unity College, both located in the scenic Adirondack Mountains of New York, offer distinct educational experiences for students seeking a unique blend of liberal arts and professional studies. Paul Smiths, with an acceptance rate of 80%, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on hands-on learning, while Unity, with a slightly lower acceptance rate of 75%, emphasizes environmental sustainability and outdoor education. While both colleges offer a range of popular majors, Paul Smiths excels in programs like Forestry, Natural Resources Management, and Culinary Arts, while Unity shines in Environmental Science, Adventure Education, and Sustainable Energy Systems. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these institutions' graduation rates, student demographics, and other key factors that will help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey.
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science logo

Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science

Unity College logo

Unity College

Overview

Location Paul Smiths, New York New Gloucester, Maine
Campus setting Rural: Distant Rural: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Non Traditional
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 75.0% 37.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 74.7% 91.4%
Application fees
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 1,301 2,903
Total number of admissions given out 972 2,654
Admitted students who chose to enroll 287 244
Yield rate 29.5% 9.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $49,795 $23,180
Average net price $25,632 $13,983
Tuition $31,080 $11,280
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,040

Meal plan: $6,140
Room/dormitory: $5,050

Meal plan: $5,700
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $23,725
55.0%
Average amount $3,871
Students receiving federal student loan 76.0%
Average amount $5,154
72.0%
Average amount $5,198
Students taking out private loans 16.0%
Average amount $12,810
5.0%
Average amount $8,293

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 711
Men 64.6% Women 35.4%
1,991
Men 26.6% Women 73.4%
Graduate students 34
Men 58.8% Women 41.2%
448
Men 25.2% Women 74.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students 45.2% N/A
International students 1.2% 0.1%
Campus local/setting Rural: Distant Rural: Remote
Dormitory capacity 735 570
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York Connecticut Pennsylvania Vermont Mississippi N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Culinary and Personal Services
  • Business
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Agriculture
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio 14:1 27:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 57.1% 54.6%
Dropout rate 42.5% 12.1%
Transferred out N/A 33.3%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Forestry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,225
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $42,023
Natural Resources Management and Policy (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,327
  • Year 2: $31,996
  • Year 3: $41,147
Culinary Arts and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,439
  • Year 2: $28,381
  • Year 3: $35,746
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,663
  • Year 2: $28,598
  • Year 3: $31,382
Forestry (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,613
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,369
  • Year 2: $25,774
  • Year 3: N/A
Culinary Arts and Related Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,230
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,595
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,309
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Natural Resources Management and Policy (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,677
  • Year 2: $36,668
  • Year 3: $43,006
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,365
  • Year 2: $26,933
  • Year 3: $31,701
Zoology/Animal Biology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,178
  • Year 2: $24,863
  • Year 3: $30,136
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,558
  • Year 2: $24,499
  • Year 3: $25,939