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University at Albany
Albany, NY 12,100 Undergrads 68.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$28,490
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,486
After Aid
Median Earnings
$67,979
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$18,486
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$67,979
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate68.1%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients41.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS78.1%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
69.9%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: -59575th: -
SAT Math
25th: -59075th: -
ACT Composite
25th: -2675th: -
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
+$578k
+$181k
+$94k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$511k
+$115k
+$27k
Full Cost$28k/yr
+$475k
+$79k
-$9k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
48
41%
Full Cost$28k/yr
Never
-9%
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 Return80%
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
$22,186
Earnings (5yr)
$93,077
Lifetime Value Added
+$225k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$43,029
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 2699
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$68,524
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$60,820
Lifetime Value Added
-$18k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$19,800
Earnings (5yr)
$81,665
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$67,794
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (5yr)
$81,880
Lifetime Value Added
+$141k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$19,400
Earnings (5yr)
$62,386
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$19,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$356k
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$19,574
Earnings (5yr)
$66,432
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$20,662
Earnings (5yr)
$50,340
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$19,625
Earnings (2yr)
$23,649
Lifetime Value Added
-$317k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,941
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$70,275
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (5yr)
$51,851
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$22,467
Earnings (5yr)
$56,664
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Mathematics and Statistics, Other
BachCIP: 2799
Median Debt
$19,895
Earnings (5yr)
$75,526
Lifetime Value Added
+$94k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$21,531
Earnings (5yr)
$55,615
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$61,851
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$19,227
Lifetime Value Added
-$358k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$19,031
Earnings (5yr)
$65,574
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,821
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$19,789
Earnings (5yr)
$55,168
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other
BachCIP: 4499
Median Debt
$18,400
Earnings (5yr)
$62,649
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (5yr)
$66,859
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$59,475
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$20,565
Earnings (5yr)
$57,591
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$53,268
Lifetime Value Added
-$79k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$99,585
Lifetime Value Added
+$402k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$31,500
Earnings (5yr)
$115,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$540k
Criminology
MastCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$23,642
Earnings (5yr)
$66,732
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Curriculum and Instruction
MastCIP: 1303
Median Debt
$20,267
Earnings (5yr)
$64,094
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Fine and Studio Arts
MastCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (2yr)
$22,667
Lifetime Value Added
-$287k
Information Science/Studies
MastCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$29,250
Earnings (5yr)
$60,259
Lifetime Value Added
+$61k
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
MastCIP: 5115
Median Debt
$36,750
Earnings (5yr)
$54,015
Lifetime Value Added
+$4k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$28,125
Earnings (5yr)
$88,198
Lifetime Value Added
+$304k
Public Health
MastCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$32,643
Earnings (5yr)
$90,300
Lifetime Value Added
+$322k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$37,349
Earnings (5yr)
$65,149
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$123,372
Lifetime Value Added
+$605k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$21,335
Earnings (5yr)
$59,700
Lifetime Value Added
+$56k
Graduate Certificates
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
Gr-CertCIP: 1110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$68,219
Lifetime Value Added
+$245k
Doctoral Degrees
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
DocCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$61,516
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
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.