State University of New York at Cortland

Cortland, NY 5,901 Undergrads 70.8% Grad Rate

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Total Cost

$28,108

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$22,345

After Aid

Median Earnings

$58,555

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$22,345

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$58,555

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate70.8%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients27.2%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time98.0%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS77.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

59.8%

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

+$524k

+$57k

+$40k

Median Cost$22k/yr

+$444k

-$23k

-$41k

Full Cost$28k/yr

+$423k

-$44k

-$61k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$22k/yr

Never

-51%

Full Cost$28k/yr

Never

-61%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation 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-13%

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 (4yr)

$52,067

Natl Median: $70,786

Lifetime Value Added

-$94k

Anthropology

BachCIP: 4502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,676

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Archeology

BachCIP: 4503

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,748

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

BachCIP: 2602

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,466

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$23,125

Earnings (4yr)

$61,879

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

-$14k

Business/Managerial Economics

BachCIP: 5206

Median Debt

$21,470

Earnings (4yr)

$66,644

Natl Median: $77,981

Lifetime Value Added

+$23k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

$21,500

Earnings (4yr)

$63,431

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

-$2k

Communication Disorders Sciences and Services

BachCIP: 5102

Median Debt

$20,187

Earnings (4yr)

$62,122

Natl Median: $58,928

Lifetime Value Added

-$12k

Community Organization and Advocacy

BachCIP: 4402

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,936

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminology

BachCIP: 4504

Median Debt

$19,500

Earnings (4yr)

$56,593

Natl Median: $55,556

Lifetime Value Added

-$57k

Design and Applied Arts

BachCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$48,562

Natl Median: $51,490

Lifetime Value Added

-$131k

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

BachCIP: 2613

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,842

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$25,194

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

-$316k

English Language and Literature/Letters, Other

BachCIP: 2399

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $46,634

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

BachCIP: 0502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,710

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Geography and Cartography

BachCIP: 4507

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$33,281

Natl Median: $57,853

Lifetime Value Added

-$243k

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

BachCIP: 4006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$60,027

Natl Median: $60,190

Lifetime Value Added

-$29k

Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other

BachCIP: 5199

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$62,524

Natl Median: $68,245

Lifetime Value Added

-$9k

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

$22,500

Earnings (4yr)

$51,043

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

-$102k

International Relations and National Security Studies

BachCIP: 4509

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$63,740

Natl Median: $66,596

Lifetime Value Added

-$9k

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$21,375

Earnings (4yr)

$44,687

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

-$156k

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

$19,465

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Outdoor Education

BachCIP: 3106

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,157

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management

BachCIP: 3103

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,468

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies

BachCIP: 3101

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$29,685

Natl Median: $50,983

Lifetime Value Added

-$275k

Philosophy

BachCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,455

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Physics

BachCIP: 4008

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $76,786

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

$22,000

Earnings (4yr)

$60,296

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

-$27k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$19,500

Earnings (4yr)

$56,366

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$59k

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

BachCIP: 0909

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,560

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions

BachCIP: 5123

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$52,654

Natl Median: $55,792

Lifetime Value Added

-$89k

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

$20,500

Earnings (4yr)

$53,524

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

-$82k

Special Education and Teaching

BachCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$74,079

Natl Median: $50,499

Lifetime Value Added

+$80k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

$21,500

Earnings (4yr)

$56,466

Natl Median: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$58k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$21,794

Earnings (4yr)

$62,275

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

-$11k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

$21,485

Earnings (4yr)

$63,201

Natl Median: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

-$4k

Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language

BachCIP: 1314

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,259

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Master's Degrees

Communication Disorders Sciences and Services

MastCIP: 5102

Median Debt

$41,000

Earnings (4yr)

$68,204

Natl Median: $67,030

Lifetime Value Added

-$80k

English Language and Literature, General

MastCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$37,208

Natl Median: $55,512

Lifetime Value Added

-$358k

Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other

MastCIP: 5199

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $81,651

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

MastCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,360

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies

MastCIP: 3101

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$32,563

Natl Median: $56,313

Lifetime Value Added

-$407k

Physical Sciences, Other

MastCIP: 4099

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $79,471

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions

MastCIP: 5123

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $71,416

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Special Education and Teaching

MastCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$57,719

Natl Median: $64,397

Lifetime Value Added

-$175k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

MastCIP: 3105

Median Debt

$27,333

Earnings (4yr)

$63,148

Natl Median: $62,033

Lifetime Value Added

-$125k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

MastCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$20,500

Earnings (4yr)

$56,556

Natl Median: $59,916

Lifetime Value Added

-$186k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

MastCIP: 1313

Median Debt

$20,500

Earnings (4yr)

$65,285

Natl Median: $63,707

Lifetime Value Added

-$105k

Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language

MastCIP: 1314

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,767

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Graduate Certificates

Educational Administration and Supervision

Gr-CertCIP: 1304

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$96,712

Natl Median: $86,288

Lifetime Value Added

+$252k

Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions

Gr-CertCIP: 5123

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $64,852

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 degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.