College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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SUNY Adirondack

Queensbury, NY 1,844 Undergrads 31.9% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$17,087
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,389
After Aid
Median Earnings
$44,935
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,389
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$44,935
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate31.9%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients49.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time67.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.6%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
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
+$482k
-$33k
-$2k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$463k
-$52k
-$21k
Full Cost$17k/yr
+$451k
-$65k
-$34k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
Never
-111%
Full Cost$17k/yr
Never
-107%
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-84%

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-61%
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

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
CertCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $31,135
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Teaching Assistants/Aides
CertCIP: 1315
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $24,479
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
-$72k
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1002
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$10,138
Earnings (4yr)
$47,650
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Computer Science
AssocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
AssocCIP: 1109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,971
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,038
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,584
Natl Median: $36,311
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
Design and Applied Arts
AssocCIP: 5004
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,551
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Hospitality Administration/Management
AssocCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,099
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$12,713
Earnings (5yr)
$41,176
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5115
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$31,798
Natl Median: $40,734
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Music
AssocCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,056
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,203
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$259k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
AssocCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $38,641
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.