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Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY 15,245 Undergrads 82.7% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$80,396
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$41,026
After Aid
Median Earnings
$79,164
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$41,026
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$79,164
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate82.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients17.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time96.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
41.7%
SAT Avg
1,351
SAT Reading
25th: 63065075th: 710
SAT Math
25th: 63066075th: 720
ACT Composite
25th: 283075th: 32
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
+$660k
+$264k
+$176k
Median Cost$41k/yr
+$513k
+$116k
+$28k
Full Cost$80k/yr
+$371k
-$25k
-$113k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$41k/yr
52
19%
Full Cost$80k/yr
Never
-39%
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 Return17%
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-60%
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
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$101,760
Lifetime Value Added
+$209k
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
BachCIP: 1402
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$98,978
Lifetime Value Added
+$188k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$22,499
Earnings (2yr)
$33,993
Lifetime Value Added
-$303k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$79,167
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$36,848
Lifetime Value Added
-$278k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Lifetime Value Added
-$394k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$71,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$100,385
Lifetime Value Added
+$199k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$96,698
Lifetime Value Added
+$171k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$61,516
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$97,093
Lifetime Value Added
+$174k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,144
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,693
Lifetime Value Added
+$14k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$81,333
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$64,921
Lifetime Value Added
-$67k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$41,457
Lifetime Value Added
-$258k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (5yr)
$82,376
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (5yr)
$64,086
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
BachCIP: 5207
Median Debt
$26,350
Earnings (5yr)
$92,585
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services
BachCIP: 1902
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,068
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$109,595
Lifetime Value Added
+$268k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$26,950
Earnings (2yr)
$17,624
Lifetime Value Added
-$454k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1905
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (5yr)
$62,991
Lifetime Value Added
-$82k
Geography and Cartography
BachCIP: 4507
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$18,309
Lifetime Value Added
-$447k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,954
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 5199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,891
Lifetime Value Added
+$23k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$54,449
Lifetime Value Added
-$150k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$22,962
Earnings (5yr)
$51,299
Lifetime Value Added
-$176k
Human Services, General
BachCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$26,273
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$343k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$26,564
Earnings (5yr)
$101,251
Lifetime Value Added
+$205k
Interior Architecture
BachCIP: 0405
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
International Relations and National Security Studies
BachCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$26,068
Earnings (5yr)
$65,420
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$72,696
Lifetime Value Added
-$8k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$26,951
Earnings (5yr)
$82,019
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$98,391
Lifetime Value Added
+$184k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$26,091
Earnings (5yr)
$67,317
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$63,889
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Public Administration
BachCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$74,419
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
$24,375
Earnings (5yr)
$83,644
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$26,406
Earnings (5yr)
$69,161
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
$26,137
Earnings (2yr)
$35,954
Lifetime Value Added
-$286k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$26,950
Earnings (5yr)
$59,353
Lifetime Value Added
-$111k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$24,500
Earnings (5yr)
$72,358
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
-$99k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$24,990
Earnings (5yr)
$59,000
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$44,832
Earnings (5yr)
$109,108
Lifetime Value Added
+$442k
Architecture
MastCIP: 0402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,958
Lifetime Value Added
+$166k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$64,914
Earnings (5yr)
$123,542
Lifetime Value Added
+$565k
Business/Managerial Economics
MastCIP: 5206
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$105,701
Lifetime Value Added
+$413k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Information Science/Studies
MastCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$49,759
Earnings (5yr)
$135,693
Lifetime Value Added
+$668k
International Relations and National Security Studies
MastCIP: 4509
Median Debt
$41,744
Earnings (5yr)
$97,274
Lifetime Value Added
+$341k
Journalism
MastCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$56,444
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Lifetime Value Added
-$165k
Library Science and Administration
MastCIP: 2501
Median Debt
$53,304
Earnings (5yr)
$59,001
Lifetime Value Added
+$8k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$115,998
Earnings (5yr)
$63,321
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Museology/Museum Studies
MastCIP: 3014
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,769
Lifetime Value Added
-$49k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$51,317
Earnings (5yr)
$109,591
Lifetime Value Added
+$446k
Security Science and Technology
MastCIP: 4304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,632
Lifetime Value Added
+$112k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$62,952
Earnings (5yr)
$63,525
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$59,695
Earnings (5yr)
$62,248
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$60,204
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Professional Degrees
Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$113,050
Earnings (5yr)
$97,544
Lifetime Value Added
+$131k
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.