College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Syracuse, NY 1,839 Undergrads 76.0% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$28,694
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,375
After Aid
Median Earnings
$61,138
5yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,375
Peer Midpoint: $19,969
Earnings (5yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$61,138
Peer Midpoint: $61,632
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$64,530
Peer Midpoint: $58,891
Graduation Rate76.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.9
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients28.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.9%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS77.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
63.3%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
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)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$538k
+$68k
+$52k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$472k
+$2k
-$15k
Full Cost$29k/yr
+$435k
-$35k
-$52k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-22%
Full Cost$29k/yr
Never
-50%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the median earnings five years after graduating, with four years of 2% raises taken out.
  • 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 Return4%

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-53%

Program ROI Analysis

These figures are medians for past graduates who received federal aid. Your cost and pay will differ. Run your own numbers in the Guided ROI Interview →

Associate's Degrees

Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,570
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Forestry
AssocCIP: 0305
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (5yr)
$45,599
Natl Median: $48,725
Lifetime Value Added
-$38k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$46,689
Natl Median: $45,634
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biotechnology
BachCIP: 2612
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,041
Natl Median: $67,097
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$99,249
Natl Median: $93,761
Lifetime Value Added
+$289k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,010
Natl Median: $48,842
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$74,307
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Engineering, Other
BachCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $93,989
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
$20,250
Earnings (4yr)
$65,604
Natl Median: $56,185
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
$12,875
Earnings (4yr)
$57,664
Natl Median: $58,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$59,480
Natl Median: $66,387
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,754
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$17,439
Earnings (4yr)
$49,489
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Median Debt
$15,000
Earnings (4yr)
$42,505
Natl Median: $44,055
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,222
Natl Median: $82,527
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Forestry
MastCIP: 0305
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$64,707
Natl Median: $67,466
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,306
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$61,939
Natl Median: $74,607
Lifetime Value Added
-$140k

Doctoral Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,173
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.