SUNY Buffalo State University

Buffalo, NY 5,097 Undergrads 48.4% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$24,279

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$11,346

After Aid

Median Earnings

$53,203

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,346

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$53,203

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate48.4%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients55.7%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time91.9%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS66.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

73.0%

SAT Avg

1,070

SAT Reading

25th: 49051575th: 630

SAT Math

25th: 49053075th: 610

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

+$480k

+$13k

-$4k

Median Cost$11k/yr

+$439k

-$27k

-$45k

Full Cost$24k/yr

+$393k

-$74k

-$91k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$11k/yr

Never

-110%

Full Cost$24k/yr

Never

-105%

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-88%

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-72%

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

Earnings (2yr)

$29,685

Natl Median: $46,676

Lifetime Value Added

-$236k

Applied Mathematics

BachCIP: 2703

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $91,532

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians

BachCIP: 1002

Median Debt

$18,375

Earnings (4yr)

$45,120

Natl Median: $44,889

Lifetime Value Added

-$113k

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$17,250

Earnings (4yr)

$48,735

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

-$82k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$20,407

Earnings (4yr)

$57,114

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

-$13k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

$21,748

Earnings (4yr)

$61,262

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

+$21k

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

$21,031

Earnings (4yr)

$51,379

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

-$60k

Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other

BachCIP: 0999

Median Debt

$24,000

Earnings (4yr)

$49,500

Natl Median: $55,384

Lifetime Value Added

-$76k

Criminal Justice and Corrections

BachCIP: 4301

Median Debt

$20,000

Earnings (4yr)

$56,034

Natl Median: $55,378

Lifetime Value Added

-$22k

Curriculum and Instruction

BachCIP: 1303

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,452

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Design and Applied Arts

BachCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$48,191

Natl Median: $51,490

Lifetime Value Added

-$95k

Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services

BachCIP: 5131

Median Debt

$26,450

Earnings (4yr)

$60,937

Natl Median: $55,753

Lifetime Value Added

+$18k

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

BachCIP: 5005

Median Debt

$20,152

Earnings (4yr)

$39,863

Natl Median: $39,775

Lifetime Value Added

-$158k

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

$24,250

Earnings (4yr)

$58,497

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

-$2k

Educational Administration and Supervision

BachCIP: 1304

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$64,059

Natl Median: $47,433

Lifetime Value Added

+$43k

Educational/Instructional Media Design

BachCIP: 1305

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,308

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians

BachCIP: 1503

Median Debt

$24,870

Earnings (4yr)

$82,242

Natl Median: $84,599

Lifetime Value Added

+$182k

Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies

BachCIP: 1904

Median Debt

$21,691

Earnings (4yr)

$47,880

Natl Median: $53,262

Lifetime Value Added

-$89k

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

BachCIP: 5006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $43,765

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

$19,000

Earnings (4yr)

$45,222

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

-$112k

Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other

BachCIP: 1699

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,580

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Geography and Cartography

BachCIP: 4507

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,853

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

BachCIP: 4006

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$46,453

Natl Median: $60,190

Lifetime Value Added

-$109k

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

$20,160

Earnings (4yr)

$54,561

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

-$34k

Hospitality Administration/Management

BachCIP: 5209

Median Debt

$15,625

Earnings (4yr)

$48,267

Natl Median: $56,726

Lifetime Value Added

-$86k

Human Resources Management and Services

BachCIP: 5210

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $68,069

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians

BachCIP: 1506

Median Debt

$25,324

Earnings (4yr)

$98,018

Natl Median: $80,890

Lifetime Value Added

+$303k

Information Science/Studies

BachCIP: 1104

Median Debt

$19,250

Earnings (4yr)

$64,628

Natl Median: $85,294

Lifetime Value Added

+$47k

International Relations and National Security Studies

BachCIP: 4509

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $66,596

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$46,705

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

-$99k

Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services

BachCIP: 1601

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,984

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$31,305

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

-$221k

Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians

BachCIP: 1508

Median Debt

$22,400

Earnings (4yr)

$73,327

Natl Median: $82,073

Lifetime Value Added

+$114k

Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General

BachCIP: 3000

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$59,096

Natl Median: $50,532

Lifetime Value Added

+$3k

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

BachCIP: 3099

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,693

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Museology/Museum Studies

BachCIP: 3014

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $36,787

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$41,427

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

-$151k

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

$19,700

Earnings (4yr)

$58,041

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

-$5k

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$24,857

Earnings (4yr)

$52,490

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$51k

Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other

BachCIP: 4499

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $61,630

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Public Health

BachCIP: 5122

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,808

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

BachCIP: 0909

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,560

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

BachCIP: 0907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$46,224

Natl Median: $50,497

Lifetime Value Added

-$103k

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

BachCIP: 2313

Median Debt

$18,249

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,471

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$30,409

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

-$229k

Security Science and Technology

BachCIP: 4304

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,805

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Social Work

BachCIP: 4407

Median Debt

$20,000

Earnings (4yr)

$53,130

Natl Median: $51,790

Lifetime Value Added

-$46k

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

$20,370

Earnings (4yr)

$49,595

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

-$75k

Special Education and Teaching

BachCIP: 1310

Median Debt

$19,450

Earnings (4yr)

$57,096

Natl Median: $50,499

Lifetime Value Added

-$13k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

BachCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$21,000

Earnings (4yr)

$51,209

Natl Median: $47,382

Lifetime Value Added

-$62k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

BachCIP: 1313

Median Debt

$20,500

Earnings (4yr)

$49,853

Natl Median: $51,389

Lifetime Value Added

-$73k

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

Urban Studies/Affairs

BachCIP: 4512

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,532

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Master's Degrees

Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education

MastCIP: 1302

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $71,241

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

MastCIP: 2601

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,830

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

MastCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$34,771

Earnings (4yr)

$67,511

Natl Median: $103,485

Lifetime Value Added

-$65k

Criminal Justice and Corrections

MastCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $66,714

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Curriculum and Instruction

MastCIP: 1303

Median Debt

$19,870

Earnings (4yr)

$51,175

Natl Median: $63,399

Lifetime Value Added

-$216k

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

MastCIP: 2613

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $82,527

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

MastCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $100,743

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Educational Administration and Supervision

MastCIP: 1304

Median Debt

$29,545

Earnings (4yr)

$67,787

Natl Median: $71,685

Lifetime Value Added

-$63k

Educational/Instructional Media Design

MastCIP: 1305

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$45,696

Natl Median: $70,644

Lifetime Value Added

-$251k

Fine and Studio Arts

MastCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,079

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences

MastCIP: 4006

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $79,463

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

MastCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,360

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Resources Management and Services

MastCIP: 5210

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $83,558

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians

MastCIP: 1506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $89,051

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

MastCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$58,389

Natl Median: $65,716

Lifetime Value Added

-$148k

Mathematics

MastCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $72,654

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General

MastCIP: 3000

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$63,411

Natl Median: $67,520

Lifetime Value Added

-$102k

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other

MastCIP: 3099

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $75,122

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Museology/Museum Studies

MastCIP: 3014

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,692

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other

MastCIP: 4499

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $70,515

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

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

MastCIP: 2313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,035

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Security Science and Technology

MastCIP: 4304

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $82,399

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Special Education and Teaching

MastCIP: 1310

Median Debt

$33,000

Earnings (4yr)

$57,652

Natl Median: $64,397

Lifetime Value Added

-$155k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

MastCIP: 1312

Median Debt

$32,750

Earnings (4yr)

$46,986

Natl Median: $59,916

Lifetime Value Added

-$257k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

MastCIP: 1313

Median Debt

$20,944

Earnings (4yr)

$54,034

Natl Median: $63,707

Lifetime Value Added

-$189k

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

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.