College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY 1,773 Undergrads 63.0% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$23,018
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,882
After Aid
Median Earnings
$64,355
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$13,882
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$64,355
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate63.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients39.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
78.4%
SAT Avg
1,248
SAT Reading
25th: 56060075th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 59062075th: 680
ACT Composite
25th: 242775th: 27

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
+$551k
+$154k
+$66k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$501k
+$104k
+$16k
Full Cost$23k/yr
+$468k
+$71k
-$17k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
35
Median Cost$14k/yr
52
32%
Full Cost$23k/yr
Never
-20%
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 Return63%

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-31%
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

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$56,380
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$55,262
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1502
Median Debt
$17,104
Earnings (5yr)
$83,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
BachCIP: 0999
Median Debt
$19,440
Earnings (5yr)
$41,056
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (5yr)
$87,253
Lifetime Value Added
+$198k
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1512
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$80,883
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
BachCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$18,445
Earnings (5yr)
$78,421
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
$22,442
Earnings (5yr)
$82,369
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$23,649
Earnings (2yr)
$61,516
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,626
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$65,447
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1508
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$76,876
Lifetime Value Added
+$121k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$14,168
Earnings (5yr)
$49,774
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$93,501
Lifetime Value Added
+$245k
Social Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 4599
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$92k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k

Master's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$85,889
Lifetime Value Added
+$293k
Bioethics/Medical Ethics
MastCIP: 5132
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$91,744
Lifetime Value Added
+$391k
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
MastCIP: 5299
Median Debt
$20,975
Earnings (5yr)
$102,614
Lifetime Value Added
+$436k
Information Science/Studies
MastCIP: 1104
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,801
Lifetime Value Added
+$215k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$42,988
Earnings (5yr)
$120,170
Lifetime Value Added
+$586k

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.