College ROI

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SUNY at Purchase College

Purchase, NY 3,110 Undergrads 66.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$28,541
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,067
After Aid
Median Earnings
$45,092
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,067
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$45,092
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate66.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients36.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time93.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS51.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
72.8%
SAT Avg
1,277
SAT Reading
25th: 60062575th: 700
SAT Math
25th: 57859575th: 663
ACT Composite
25th: 272975th: 32

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
+$397k
+$804
-$87k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$329k
-$68k
-$156k
Full Cost$29k/yr
+$295k
-$102k
-$190k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-227%
Full Cost$29k/yr
Never
-185%
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-227%

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-108%
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

Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (2yr)
$18,771
Lifetime Value Added
-$364k
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$41,761
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$21,125
Earnings (5yr)
$59,050
Lifetime Value Added
-$34k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$49,750
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$21,932
Lifetime Value Added
-$346k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$42,645
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$17,750
Earnings (5yr)
$70,695
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
BachCIP: 5006
Median Debt
$25,695
Earnings (5yr)
$37,180
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$30,385
Lifetime Value Added
-$273k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$18,125
Earnings (2yr)
$13,702
Lifetime Value Added
-$412k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$48,662
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$44,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$152k
Literature
BachCIP: 2314
Median Debt
$24,400
Earnings (5yr)
$34,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Mathematics and Statistics, Other
BachCIP: 2799
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,394
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$20,379
Earnings (5yr)
$31,045
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,872
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,242
Lifetime Value Added
-$378k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$51,651
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$22,846
Earnings (5yr)
$32,973
Lifetime Value Added
-$251k
Social Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 4599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$38,252
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$18,971
Earnings (5yr)
$46,700
Lifetime Value Added
-$135k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BachCIP: 5001
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$19,227
Lifetime Value Added
-$360k
Visual and Performing Arts, Other
BachCIP: 5099
Median Debt
$22,798
Earnings (5yr)
$59,410
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k

Master's Degrees

Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$37,812
Earnings (5yr)
$34,862
Lifetime Value Added
-$181k

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.