Suffolk University

Boston, MA 4,268 Undergrads 64.9% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$65,281

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$29,618

After Aid

Median Earnings

$74,456

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$29,618

Peer Midpoint: $20,081

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation

$74,456

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment

$67,506

Peer Midpoint: $53,763

Graduation Rate64.9%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Average Starting Age20.2

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients29.0%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time97.6%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS75.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

82.3%

SAT Avg

1,216

SAT Reading

25th: 55060075th: 670

SAT Math

25th: 54058075th: 630

ACT Composite

25th: 242675th: 28

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

+$648k

+$181k

+$164k

Median Cost$30k/yr

+$541k

+$74k

+$57k

Full Cost$65k/yr

+$413k

-$54k

-$71k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$30k/yr

53%

Full Cost$65k/yr

Never

-30%

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 Return34%

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-54%

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

Certificates

Design and Applied Arts

CertCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $36,116

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Legal Support Services

CertCIP: 2203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,747

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Legal Support Services

AssocCIP: 2203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $44,669

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

BachCIP: 5203

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$86,396

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

+$148k

Area Studies

BachCIP: 0501

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,625

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

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$67,377

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

+$3k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$26,926

Earnings (4yr)

$71,855

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

+$37k

Business/Managerial Economics

BachCIP: 5206

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $77,981

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$52,398

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

-$117k

Computer Engineering

BachCIP: 1409

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $109,015

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer Science

BachCIP: 1107

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $107,009

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminology

BachCIP: 4504

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$36,848

Natl Median: $55,556

Lifetime Value Added

-$237k

Design and Applied Arts

BachCIP: 5004

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$60,159

Natl Median: $51,490

Lifetime Value Added

-$54k

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$43,553

Natl Median: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

-$192k

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)

$70,886

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

+$30k

English Language and Literature/Letters, Other

BachCIP: 2399

Median Debt

$24,875

Earnings (4yr)

$38,139

Natl Median: $46,634

Lifetime Value Added

-$238k

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

BachCIP: 5207

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$68,752

Natl Median: $61,027

Lifetime Value Added

+$13k

Finance and Financial Management Services

BachCIP: 5208

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$90,090

Natl Median: $83,343

Lifetime Value Added

+$176k

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$44,029

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

-$195k

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$46,401

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

-$175k

Information Science/Studies

BachCIP: 1104

Median Debt

$25,982

Earnings (4yr)

$86,406

Natl Median: $85,294

Lifetime Value Added

+$148k

International Business

BachCIP: 5211

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,201

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

International Relations and National Security Studies

BachCIP: 4509

Median Debt

$26,990

Earnings (2yr)

$30,771

Natl Median: $66,596

Lifetime Value Added

-$292k

Journalism

BachCIP: 0904

Median Debt

$20,543

Earnings (4yr)

$57,220

Natl Median: $56,278

Lifetime Value Added

-$78k

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

BachCIP: 5213

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $86,176

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Marketing

BachCIP: 5214

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$71,855

Natl Median: $69,303

Lifetime Value Added

+$37k

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

$23,250

Earnings (4yr)

$67,779

Natl Median: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

+$6k

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Non-Professional Legal Studies

BachCIP: 2200

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$70,274

Natl Median: $61,959

Lifetime Value Added

+$25k

Philosophy

BachCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$38,829

Natl Median: $54,455

Lifetime Value Added

-$219k

Physical Sciences, Other

BachCIP: 4099

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,096

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

$26,000

Earnings (4yr)

$73,484

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

+$50k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$54,117

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$103k

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

BachCIP: 0909

Median Debt

$26,012

Earnings (4yr)

$66,709

Natl Median: $63,560

Lifetime Value Added

-$2k

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

BachCIP: 0907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,497

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

BachCIP: 2313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,471

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Science, Technology and Society

BachCIP: 3015

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $67,452

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Social Sciences, General

BachCIP: 4501

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,366

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$61,032

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

-$47k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

PB-CertCIP: 5109

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $86,156

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

MastCIP: 5203

Median Debt

$40,539

Earnings (4yr)

$107,236

Natl Median: $95,833

Lifetime Value Added

+$249k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

MastCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$42,540

Earnings (4yr)

$125,542

Natl Median: $103,485

Lifetime Value Added

+$408k

Business/Managerial Economics

MastCIP: 5206

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$195,072

Natl Median: $97,526

Lifetime Value Added

+$1009k

Criminal Justice and Corrections

MastCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$65,945

Natl Median: $66,714

Lifetime Value Added

-$125k

Design and Applied Arts

MastCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $70,073

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Educational Administration and Supervision

MastCIP: 1304

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$69,052

Natl Median: $71,685

Lifetime Value Added

-$85k

Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

MastCIP: 5207

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $97,366

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Finance and Financial Management Services

MastCIP: 5208

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$133,979

Natl Median: $110,694

Lifetime Value Added

+$458k

Health and Medical Administrative Services

MastCIP: 5107

Median Debt

$41,162

Earnings (4yr)

$99,661

Natl Median: $89,981

Lifetime Value Added

+$183k

Human Resources Management and Services

MastCIP: 5210

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $83,558

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Interior Architecture

MastCIP: 0405

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $66,993

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

International Business

MastCIP: 5211

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $97,121

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

International Relations and National Security Studies

MastCIP: 4509

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $95,627

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

MastCIP: 5213

Median Debt

$37,754

Earnings (4yr)

$104,109

Natl Median: $124,807

Lifetime Value Added

+$222k

Marketing

MastCIP: 5214

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$85,595

Natl Median: $79,106

Lifetime Value Added

+$60k

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

MastCIP: 5115

Median Debt

$41,000

Earnings (4yr)

$76,289

Natl Median: $59,571

Lifetime Value Added

-$22k

Philosophy

MastCIP: 3801

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $60,272

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

MastCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $78,850

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Public Administration

MastCIP: 4404

Median Debt

$41,000

Earnings (4yr)

$92,015

Natl Median: $81,408

Lifetime Value Added

+$116k

Public Health

MastCIP: 5122

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $82,751

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

MastCIP: 0909

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $80,125

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

MastCIP: 4511

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,330

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Taxation

MastCIP: 5216

Median Debt

$20,500

Earnings (4yr)

$114,731

Natl Median: $114,810

Lifetime Value Added

+$314k

Graduate Certificates

Accounting and Related Services

Gr-CertCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $82,363

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

Gr-CertCIP: 0502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,168

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

Gr-CertCIP: 5115

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$48,823

Natl Median: $60,655

Lifetime Value Added

-$182k

Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language

Gr-CertCIP: 1314

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $71,178

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology

DocCIP: 4228

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $99,878

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Law

DocCIP: 2201

Median Debt

$113,386

Earnings (4yr)

$103,969

Natl Median: $105,518

Lifetime Value Added

+$17k

Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies

DocCIP: 2202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$123,199

Natl Median: $113,071

Lifetime Value Added

+$159k

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. 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.