College ROI Report
Updated 2024
Best-value Colleges in New York
New York is home to a wide variety of colleges, from public to private, large to small, urban to rural and with degrees of all kind. Payscale’s College ROI Report can help you find the best value colleges in New York state.
| Rank | School Name | 20 Year Net ROI | Total 4 Year Cost | Graduation Rate | Typical Years to Graduate | Average Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:31 | School Name: Hofstra University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$512,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$277,000 | Graduation Rate:68% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$40,800 |
| Rank:32 | School Name: University of Rochester (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$511,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$315,000 | Graduation Rate:90% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$28,800 |
| Rank:33 | School Name: SUNY at Albany (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$507,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$112,000 | Graduation Rate:66% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$27,100 |
| Rank:34 | School Name: Fashion Institute of Technology (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$507,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$168,000 | Graduation Rate:83% | Typical Years to Graduate:- | Average Loan Amount:$34,900 |
| Rank:35 | School Name: CUNY Queens College (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$502,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$151,000 | Graduation Rate:56% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$20,400 |
| Rank:36 | School Name:_50px.png) New York Institute of Technology (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$500,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$243,000 | Graduation Rate:55% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$26,100 |
| Rank:37 | School Name: Molloy College (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$499,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$216,000 | Graduation Rate:69% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$29,500 |
| Rank:38 | School Name: College of Staten Island CUNY (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$497,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$136,000 | Graduation Rate:35% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$25,000 |
| Rank:39 | School Name:_50px.gif) University at Buffalo (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$494,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$119,000 | Graduation Rate:74% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$31,400 |
| Rank:40 | School Name: Fordham University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$493,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$321,000 | Graduation Rate:83% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$37,600 |
The College ROI Report ranks New York schools by highest return on investment. This way, you can invest in your education just like Wall Street experts invest in the stock market. Students who attend colleges in the Empire State can enjoy proximity to the excitement of New York City and the beauty of Upstate New York regions, like the Adirondacks and the Thousand Islands.
SUNY Maritime College, a public college located in Long Island, grants mostly engineering and business degrees, and requires all students to engage in experiential learning experiences by completing internships or serving with military groups like the Coast Guard or Merchant Marines. With that combination of experience and quality education, it’s no wonder why SUNY Maritime provides such great value to alumni.
Columbia University is an Ivy League school attended by famous alumni like Madeleine Albright, Pat Buchanan, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Chelsea Clinton, Isaac Asimov, Langston Hughes, Jack Kerouac, and Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Even if you don’t go on to fame and fortune after graduation, you can expect a solid 20-year net ROI.
Located in Troy, New York, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute — or RPI, as it’s more commonly known — is made up of six schools, and offers more than 140 degree programs across more than 60 fields. The school, whose 265-acre campus overlooks the Hudson River, is best known for its programs in the technical arts and applied sciences and has produced many accomplished alumni through the years.
Other New York colleges that provide notably high value to students are Clarkson University in Potsdam, Cornell University in Ithaca, Manhattan College, and the SUNY campus at Binghamton.
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