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State University of New York at Cortland
Cortland, NY 5,896 Undergrads 70.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$26,413
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,951
After Aid
Median Earnings
$60,236
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$19,951
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$60,236
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate70.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients27.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
50.7%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -58075th: -
SAT Math
25th: -58575th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2575th: -
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
+$519k
+$122k
+$34k
Median Cost$20k/yr
+$447k
+$50k
-$37k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$424k
+$27k
-$61k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
41
∞
Median Cost$20k/yr
Never
-52%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-64%
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-18%
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-56%
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
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$52,987
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,125
Earnings (5yr)
$68,861
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Business/Managerial Economics
BachCIP: 5206
Median Debt
$21,470
Earnings (5yr)
$75,120
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$57,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$20,187
Earnings (5yr)
$67,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$62,640
Lifetime Value Added
-$9k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$308k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,281
Lifetime Value Added
-$234k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$228k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,501
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 5199
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,772
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$58,231
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,740
Lifetime Value Added
-$613
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$21,375
Earnings (5yr)
$50,640
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
BachCIP: 3101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,191
Lifetime Value Added
+$79k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,613
Lifetime Value Added
-$57k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,333
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,344
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$21,794
Earnings (5yr)
$60,026
Lifetime Value Added
-$30k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$21,485
Earnings (5yr)
$62,533
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Master's Degrees
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,315
Lifetime Value Added
+$95k
English Language and Literature, General
MastCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$138k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,333
Earnings (5yr)
$63,725
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
MastCIP: 3101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$32,563
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,470
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$49,331
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$60,714
Lifetime Value Added
+$63k
Graduate Certificates
Educational Administration and Supervision
Gr-CertCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$96,712
Lifetime Value Added
+$471k
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.