College ROI

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SUNY Buffalo State University

Buffalo, NY 5,097 Undergrads 48.4% Grad Rate
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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: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$53,203
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$52,334
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate48.4%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age21.2
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
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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
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
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
Median Debt
$21,031
Earnings (4yr)
$51,379
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Median Debt
$24,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,500
Natl Median: $55,384
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$56,034
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$22k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,452
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$48,191
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Median Debt
$26,450
Earnings (4yr)
$60,937
Natl Median: $55,753
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Median Debt
$20,152
Earnings (4yr)
$39,863
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$158k
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$64,059
Natl Median: $47,433
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
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
Median Debt
$21,691
Earnings (4yr)
$47,880
Natl Median: $53,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,222
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,580
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,853
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Median Debt
$15,625
Earnings (4yr)
$48,267
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,324
Earnings (4yr)
$98,018
Natl Median: $80,890
Lifetime Value Added
+$303k
Median Debt
$19,250
Earnings (4yr)
$64,628
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,596
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,705
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
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
Median Debt
$22,400
Earnings (4yr)
$73,327
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,096
Natl Median: $50,532
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,693
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
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
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,224
Natl Median: $50,497
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Median Debt
$18,249
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$30,409
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$229k
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
Median Debt
$19,450
Earnings (4yr)
$57,096
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,209
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,853
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,259
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,532
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

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
Median Debt
$34,771
Earnings (4yr)
$67,511
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,870
Earnings (4yr)
$51,175
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
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
Median Debt
$29,545
Earnings (4yr)
$67,787
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$45,696
Natl Median: $70,644
Lifetime Value Added
-$251k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $83,558
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,051
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
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
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$63,411
Natl Median: $67,520
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $75,122
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,692
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,515
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,035
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $82,399
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$33,000
Earnings (4yr)
$57,652
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
-$155k
Median Debt
$32,750
Earnings (4yr)
$46,986
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
-$257k
Median Debt
$20,944
Earnings (4yr)
$54,034
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
-$189k
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 decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. 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.