Farmingdale State College Acceptance Rate, Admissions & Graduation

What Kind of School It Is, in Terms That Matter

Farmingdale State College is a public four-year college located in Farmingdale, New York, in Suffolk County, within the New York metropolitan area. Its census code places it in a suburb: within the urbanized area, but outside the heart of the city. If your child is thinking about living at home and driving every day, do not rely on what the map says. Drive the route yourself on a weekday at the time your child would have class. Real traffic is almost never what Google Maps promises.

The Carnegie classification system—the system researchers and admission offices use to understand what kind of institution each college is—describes it as a medium-sized bachelor's college with diverse fields of study that is “primarily nonresidential.” That label sounds harsher than it is: technically, it means that fewer than one in four undergraduate students lived in institution-owned housing, or that fewer than half studied full time. The data does not clarify which of the two conditions applied, nor does it mean there are no residence halls—in fact, there are, as you will see later.

One point is worth emphasizing: Carnegie places Farmingdale among institutions that enroll many transfer students. If your child is thinking about coming here after starting at another school—a community college, for example—this is not a minor detail. Before transferring, ask in writing which courses will count and which will not. The Carnegie label does not tell you how many credits transfer students bring with them or how many fall by the wayside, so that is a question you need to ask yourself.

IPEDS, the federal higher education data system, lists it as a public, four-year institution, with a master's degree as the highest level it reports offering. That is a general institutional fact: it does not tell you whether the specific major your child is interested in extends through the graduate level or whether there is a clear path from undergraduate study to a master's degree within that major. That must be asked program by program.

And one simple clarification that can prevent confusion later: Farmingdale State College does not appear in federal records with any of these three special designations: it is not a historically Black college or university (HBCU), it is not a tribal college, and it is not a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges in this directory, 138 do have at least one of the three. Farmingdale's lack of such a designation says nothing about which students it serves or how your child will feel there. You can investigate that by asking directly about the cultural centers and student organizations that exist today.

A Community Where Being Latino Is Not the Exception

Here is a number worth pausing to read carefully: 29 out of every 100 undergraduate students at Farmingdale State College identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino. That is one in four, or more. Compared with 519 selective-admission public four-year schools that reported this same data, Farmingdale ranks in the group's highest quarter.

To put it plainly: being Latino would not be the exception on this campus. But I want to be honest with you about what this number does not say. A high percentage of Latino students is not the same as specific support for Latino students. This data counts how many there are, not whether there is a Spanish-speaking counselor, targeted tutoring, or whether those students complete their degrees at the same rates as others. And it is the percentage for the entire school, not for the major your child is interested in. Counting is not the same as serving.

The rest of the student community looks like this: there are more men than women among undergraduates (41 out of every 100 are women), 15 out of every 100 students are between the ages of 25 and 64—so this is not a campus exclusively for recent high school graduates—and 97 out of every 100 first-time students reported living in New York State when they applied. Above all, it is a school that serves its own state.

As for size: Farmingdale had 9,541 enrolled students in the most recent official count. It is neither a small school nor an enormous one; it falls right in the middle of its peers. Of that total, 9,508 are undergraduates and only 33 are graduate students—this is primarily a bachelor's-degree institution. Being large does not mean more options for your child, and being small does not mean more attention. What matters is asking about the specific major, not the school as a whole.

How the Academic Year Is Organized and What They Do With What Your Child Already Knows

The calendar operates on semesters: two long terms of approximately 15 weeks each. It is a standard system, with consistent dates for all students.

Something that may save your family time and money: the institution stated that it accepts credit for AP exams, as well as what IPEDS calls “credit for life experience”—learning acquired through independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, prior licenses, or military or professional opportunities. It also reports that it enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual enrollment program, and that it accepts credit for military training.

Here is the hard truth no one will tell you in the brochure: stating that they accept AP does not mean they will grant credit for every exam. We do not know what score they require, how many credits they award, or whether those credits count toward your child's specific major. Ask for the equivalency evaluation in writing before your child enrolls. Do not budget for those savings until you have it in hand.

As for fields of study: in one year, Farmingdale awarded 1,672 bachelor's degrees across 15 families of fields of study. The largest family was business and management, with 21 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year—a significant share, but no single family accounts for the majority. Compared with similar schools, Farmingdale has relatively few distinct families of fields of study represented among its bachelor's degree offerings. This does not count unique individuals or the current catalog of majors; it counts degrees awarded in one year.

The ratio of students to instructional staff is 18 to 1. Compared with similar schools, it falls in the highest quarter—that is, among the highest ratios in its peer group, although it is considered moderate on the overall scale. Both interpretations are true at the same time, and neither tells you the actual size of a classroom. IPEDS does not make it possible to know exactly how the ratio was calculated or what the size of first-year classes is. That must be asked directly of the academic department.

The institution also reports structured opportunities: study abroad, cocurricular undergraduate research, a complete program that can be taken only in the evenings or on weekends, and noncredit developmental education.

Getting In: What They Require and Who Actually Enrolls

Farmingdale State College does not have open admission. There are components they review before saying yes. Of the existing admission considerations, it marked three as required: the high school record, the high school GPA, and an English proficiency exam when applicable. If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, ask now whether that exam is required and what would qualify for an exemption. It is one of those things families discover late, when there is no longer time to resolve it calmly.

Other components are not required, but they are considered if submitted: class rank, the high school course plan, the personal essay, and letters of recommendation. The application fee is $50.

Now, the numbers on who actually gets in and who stays:

Of the total of 9,455 applicants in the most recent cycle, 6,535 received an offer of admission and 2,920 did not. Compared with similar schools, Farmingdale is on the more selective side: seven out of ten similar schools accepted a higher percentage of their applicants.

But here is a distinction that changes how you read everything above: being admitted is not the same as enrolling. Of every 100 students Farmingdale admitted, only 26 ultimately enrolled there. The other 74 had an admission letter in hand and still chose somewhere else. When your child receives multiple admission letters, this enrollment figure should not make the decision for you. Put the letters side by side and compare net price, major, and distance before the deposit deadline.

On standardized tests: Farmingdale reported that the SAT and ACT are not required. Among those who did submit SAT scores, the middle half scored between 510 and 600 in reading and writing, and between 510 and 600 in math. That 510 is not a minimum, and that 600 is not a guarantee of anything either: these are ranges for students who were already enrolled, not for everyone who applied.

And regarding transfers, here is a fact worth keeping in mind before committing: of a cohort of full-time students who entered in 2017, 20 out of every 100 transferred to another institution before completing their studies here. Transferring is not failing. But if that possibility exists for your child, it is best to know in advance how to request the records needed so that the move, if it happens, is orderly.

The List Price and the Price Families Actually Pay

At Farmingdale State College, among 257 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and paid the in-state or in-district rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $3,865. Among 148 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $10,730; among 169 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $16,356. For dependent students, the band combines their parents' income with their own.

There is a difference of $12,491 between the average for the lowest-income band (257 students) and the average for the highest-income band (169 students). These are group averages, not a prediction of your family's price. Among first-year students who received any scholarship, the average was $8,224.

Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this data with the same time coverage, Farmingdale falls in the least expensive quarter for the lowest-income families, after scholarships are subtracted. That does not mean it will be inexpensive for your family. It is a factor that carries weight when you build the list of schools to apply to.

Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, correctly identifying your band comes first. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional scholarships or grants. The aid letter you receive is what matters.

Scholarships, Loans, and Payment Options

A little more than half of degree-seeking students—53 out of every 100—received some form of aid that does not have to be repaid: a federal, state, or institutional grant or scholarship. Among those who received it, the annual average was $8,084. Compared with similar schools, this share falls in the group's lowest quarter: fewer students receive this aid here than at most of its peers.

In addition, 37 out of every 100 students received Pell Grants, the federal aid directed toward low-income families with demonstrated financial need.

As for loans: only 23 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan in the most recently reported year. Most Farmingdale students did not use federal loans that year. Among those who did borrow, the average amount was $6,025. Compared with similar schools, this share of students with loans is on the low side.

Here is a hard truth worth stating plainly: the fact that a student received a loan does not mean it was enough to cover the full year. It means only that the student borrowed money. The rest may have been covered through scholarships or grants, work, family savings, or other debt not recorded in this report. And that average of $6,025 is for a single year and only for federal loans in the student's name—it does not include what parents may have borrowed through Parent PLUS loans, bank debt, or credit cards. Nor is it the total debt a student has upon graduation; determining that would require adding together all the years, and that number is not in this report.

When you receive this school's aid letter, separate it by hand into three piles: what does not have to be repaid, what must be repaid with interest, and what must be earned through work. Many letters mix them together in a single column, and that is where families become confused.

The institution also reports offering a tuition installment payment plan as an additional way to manage the cost.

Housing, Campus Life, and What Exists Beyond the Classroom

Farmingdale does have institution-controlled housing. Not all first-time, full-time students are required to live there—that is what the institution reported—but that does not mean no specific program has such a requirement. The reported maximum capacity is 495 students. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by the plan selected. Before assuming your child can live at home or that the meal plan is optional, ask in writing for the exact rule for the program and year, the housing application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or your child would go on a waiting list.

Regarding ROTC: in its most recent report, Farmingdale did not mark any ROTC opportunity, either the general box or any specific branch. Of the four-year institutions in this guide, 926 out of 1,786 did mark it; Farmingdale was not among them. The fact that it was not marked does not prove there is no nearby pathway—it says only that none was reported in this field. If this is important to your family, ask the admission office directly before ruling it out.

In sports, Farmingdale does compete at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA. It reports membership in basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. The membership belongs to the school, not to your child: if your child is interested in competing, write directly to the coach for that sport and ask whether there is space, what division they compete in, and whether that sport provides athletic scholarships. Ask for confirmation in writing.

In terms of study format, Farmingdale offers distance education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, although in the most recent count only 5 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes at a distance; the other 95 took at least one in-person course. The institution also reported offering at least one program in which every course can be completed at a distance, although the data does not specify whether that program is at the undergraduate or graduate level. Confirm the exact level and major before making any assumptions.

The library operates with paid staff, and its annual spending exceeded the threshold of $100,000 recorded by the government. It has physical and digital materials, and it participates in interlibrary lending. Exceeding that threshold does not guarantee that it has databases specific to your child's major; ask about those by the name of the major.

Finally, the institution reports these support services: combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services for graduates, on-campus child care, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military families, a veterans' student organization, and a disability services webpage. The fact that these services are reported does not establish how accessible or effective they are in practice. Investigate that directly by speaking with someone who already uses them.

Who Stays, Who Graduates, and How Long It Takes

This may be the section where the numbers matter most, because they speak to the real future of a student entering today.

Of the cohort of full-time students who entered in the fall of 2022, 81 out of every 100 were still enrolled here or had already graduated one year later. That is a high rate: compared with similar schools, Farmingdale ranks in the upper part of the group. Among part-time students from that same cohort, the figure was much lower: 31 out of every 100. These are two distinct groups with different circumstances; they should not be compared directly with one another, and neither number by itself explains what happened to those who did not stay.

Regarding graduation, here is the central figure, stated plainly: from a cohort of 690 students who entered full-time bachelor's degree study in 2017, 404 had graduated from Farmingdale within six years. That is 59 out of every 100—a little more than half. Compared with similar schools, this rate is above the group's median.

But there is a hard truth within this same figure that is worth facing directly: after four years, the rate was only 41 out of every 100—18 points lower than the six-year rate. For most families, four years is the period that fits within the budget planned from the beginning. The data does not say how many semesters each person attended and does not report tuition, rent, or wages. Before signing anything, ask in writing how long the program your child is interested in typically takes, how its required courses are scheduled, and how the total cost would change if the path takes longer.

From that same exact cohort of 690 students, in concrete numbers: 404 graduated here, 8 completed a shorter program within the measured period, 138 transferred to another institution without completing at Farmingdale, 18 remained enrolled without completing, and 122 were classified as “no longer enrolled”—a category that does not explain why and may include people who completed their studies after the measured time limit.

There is one additional measure over a longer period: following a full cohort of 2,835 students—including first-time students and students with prior experience, both full-time and part-time—who entered between 2015 and 2016, 61 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school eight years later. Among those who received Pell Grants, the figure was 59 out of every 100—a difference of only 2 points compared with those who did not receive them. The rest of this cohort does not fit neatly into a single category: 20 out of every 100 are shown without a credential from this institution, and 19 out of every 100 had an “unknown” enrollment status at the time of the cutoff, which does not mean they dropped out, only that the report was unable to determine where they were.

These institutional numbers describe entire cohorts of students; they do not predict what will happen to your child. But they do give you a real basis for asking, when the time comes, about concrete support and results more recent than those reported here.

What This Article Cannot Tell You

The official data supporting this article contains no figure for what a Farmingdale State College graduate earns, their employment after graduation, or the total debt with which a student actually leaves this school. That information exists in other sources, and if it matters to you—and it probably does—it is worth seeking separately before deciding.

Putting This Piece Together With Yours

You now know, in considerable depth, one of the three pieces you need to make a sound decision: what Farmingdale State College actually is and offers, according to its own reports to the federal government. You still need to combine that with what your child wants to study and has already built in high school, and with what your family can and is willing to pay. This article cannot give you either of those two pieces, because only you and your child know them.

What I can tell you is this: the numbers here are neither a warning nor a promise. They are the actual ground you will walk on if this school enters the conversation. Verify what remains unresolved here—the AP equivalencies, the housing rule for the program, the English exam if applicable, and the actual length of the program your child is interested in. Ask for the answers in writing. And when the time comes to compare admission letters, compare them using these same criteria: net price, not list price; enrollment, not just admission; the actual time to graduation, not the ideal.

No article can resolve that for you. But now, at least, you will not decide blindly.

Source note: the information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and reports that Farmingdale State College submitted to the United States Department of Education, primarily corresponding to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles. Best College Aid does not represent Farmingdale State College or the United States government.