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SUNY College at Potsdam
Potsdam, NY 1,951 Undergrads 52.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$24,489
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,295
After Aid
Median Earnings
$47,866
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$14,295
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$47,866
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate52.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS66.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
85.5%
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
+$420k
+$23k
-$64k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$369k
-$28k
-$116k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$332k
-$65k
-$153k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-225%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-173%
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-205%
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-100%
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)
$25,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$287k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$23,041
Earnings (5yr)
$59,284
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,562
Earnings (5yr)
$55,709
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,187
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$104,292
Lifetime Value Added
+$324k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$62,115
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$26,208
Earnings (5yr)
$39,609
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$24,412
Earnings (5yr)
$49,719
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$30,266
Lifetime Value Added
-$257k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,439
Lifetime Value Added
-$267k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
$26,706
Earnings (5yr)
$43,372
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$37,930
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$22,191
Earnings (5yr)
$51,887
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,262
Earnings (5yr)
$45,065
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$38,661
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,338
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$29,477
Lifetime Value Added
-$264k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$50,221
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$23,850
Earnings (5yr)
$53,160
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$58,851
Lifetime Value Added
-$19k
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$65k
Mathematics
MastCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$41,565
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,529
Lifetime Value Added
+$62k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$27,849
Earnings (5yr)
$53,435
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,064
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
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.