College ROI

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Empire State University

Saratoga Springs, NY 7,585 Undergrads 48.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$19,699
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,676
After Aid
Median Earnings
$63,250
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,676
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$63,250
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,080
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate48.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age33.4
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients39.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time51.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS75.0%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$562k
+$95k
+$77k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$520k
+$53k
+$35k
Full Cost$20k/yr
+$491k
+$24k
+$6k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
34
∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
44
84%
Full Cost$20k/yr
59
9%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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 Return118%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-12%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,067
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$14,250
Earnings (4yr)
$63,915
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$159k
Median Debt
$22,742
Earnings (4yr)
$55,084
Natl Median: $44,066
Lifetime Value Added
+$76k
Education, General
AssocCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,787
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,134
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,385
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,650
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
AssocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,929
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$90,619
Natl Median: $54,425
Lifetime Value Added
+$400k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$54,122
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$67k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,709
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$14,244
Earnings (4yr)
$62,931
Natl Median: $50,491
Lifetime Value Added
+$150k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,862
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$48,810
Natl Median: $39,288
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,146
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,799
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,066
Natl Median: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$69,365
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$83k
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,825
Natl Median: $51,936
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$13,183
Earnings (4yr)
$50,954
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$54,265
Natl Median: $46,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Median Debt
$13,688
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (4yr)
$45,252
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$58,129
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$66,111
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,379
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Median Debt
$18,209
Earnings (4yr)
$71,805
Natl Median: $63,096
Lifetime Value Added
+$101k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$17,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,979
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$72,188
Natl Median: $61,630
Lifetime Value Added
+$104k
Median Debt
$23,642
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,721
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$18,477
Earnings (4yr)
$102,384
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$335k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$61,925
Natl Median: $53,366
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$43,473
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$128k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$114,116
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$342k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $96,656
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$62,453
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,854
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,981
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$118,071
Natl Median: $100,487
Lifetime Value Added
+$376k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,200
Natl Median: $64,286
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$60,265
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k

Graduate Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$81,491
Natl Median: $94,506
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $103,299
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$57,855
Natl Median: $69,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,166
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $118,893
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities
Gr-CertCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $112,957
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $74,850
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Policy Analysis
Gr-CertCIP: 4405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,781
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $126,911
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Sciences, Other
Gr-CertCIP: 4599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,694
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,709
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), 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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.