College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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CUNY York College

Jamaica, NY 4,439 Undergrads 39.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$13,686
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$4,734
After Aid
Median Earnings
$56,945
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$4,734
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$56,945
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate39.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients56.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time72.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS70.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
59.4%
SAT Avg
1,100
SAT Reading
25th: 500-75th: 600
SAT Math
25th: 490-75th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$493k
+$96k
+$9k
Median Cost$5k/yr
+$476k
+$79k
-$9k
Full Cost$14k/yr
+$444k
+$47k
-$41k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
54
Median Cost$5k/yr
Never
-50%
Full Cost$14k/yr
Never
-83%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-34%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-39%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$14,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,338
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Air Transportation
BachCIP: 4901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,653
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,009
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (5yr)
$52,751
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
BachCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$74,576
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Communications Technology/Technician
BachCIP: 1001
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,305
Lifetime Value Added
-$197k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,162
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,731
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,169
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,226
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$53,252
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$242k
Movement and Mind-Body Therapies and Education
BachCIP: 5136
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,967
Lifetime Value Added
-$246k
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
BachCIP: 3000
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$173k
Pharmacology and Toxicology
BachCIP: 2610
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,729
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,900
Lifetime Value Added
-$174k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$9,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,157
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$12,800
Earnings (5yr)
$54,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,380
Earnings (5yr)
$96,826
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$83,222
Lifetime Value Added
+$201k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,839
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,925
Lifetime Value Added
-$183k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$8,080
Earnings (5yr)
$63,534
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$10,450
Earnings (5yr)
$54,250
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$69,456
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.