Best Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Degrees in New York by ROI
Colleges in New York ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment — calculated from median graduate earnings, total attendance cost, and average student debt. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs in New York
46
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$297,337
Across New York programs
Average Annual Cost
$16,266
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Empire State University
Grad rate: 27.3% |
-$20,522 | $42,796 | $18,221 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
College of Staten Island CUNY
Grad rate: 33.7% |
-$106,158 | $38,708 | $14,084 | $9,000 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Maria College of Albany
Grad rate: 38.1% |
-$122,636 | $38,220 | $23,518 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
CUNY Medgar Evers College
Grad rate: 23.1% |
-$176,956 | $35,024 | $14,069 | $6,888 | Full ROI → |
| 5 | Excelsior University | -$207,874 | $32,227 | N/A | $9,196 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
CUNY New York City College of Technology
Grad rate: 20.4% |
-$208,112 | $33,687 | $13,404 | $11,144 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
CUNY Bronx Community College
Grad rate: 19.5% |
-$231,664 | $32,088 | $11,987 | $7,000 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Suffolk County Community College
Grad rate: 24.1% |
-$235,152 | $31,945 | $11,626 | $8,000 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Sullivan County Community College
Grad rate: 23.2% |
-$247,816 | $32,021 | $16,693 | $11,000 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Rockland Community College
Grad rate: 29.6% |
-$248,528 | $31,634 | $14,941 | $8,390 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Hudson Valley Community College
Grad rate: 31.0% |
-$264,050 | $30,841 | $13,654 | $10,046 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
CUNY Hostos Community College
Grad rate: 19.0% |
-$269,161 | $30,223 | $12,390 | $6,549 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Finger Lakes Community College
Grad rate: 28.6% |
-$272,392 | $31,064 | $19,411 | $11,000 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Schenectady County Community College
Grad rate: 28.1% |
-$275,998 | $29,517 | $13,169 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Monroe Community College
Grad rate: 21.8% |
-$290,602 | $29,632 | $14,196 | $11,000 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost (annual cost × programme years) − Debt Payoff (avg debt × 1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20 = $840,000)
A positive ROI means a degree in this field pays off relative to entering the workforce without one. Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Degrees by State
Browse Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.