Best History 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
39
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$224,190
Across New York programs
Average Annual Cost
$42,915
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Cornell University
Grad rate: 95.2% |
+$260,782 | $72,818 | $83,196 | $16,884 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
College of Staten Island CUNY
Grad rate: 33.7% |
+$126,289 | $51,985 | $14,084 | $12,648 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
SUNY Old Westbury
Grad rate: 47.4% |
+$26,684 | $48,455 | $19,934 | $16,800 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Siena College
Grad rate: 76.2% |
-$77,846 | $52,396 | $62,329 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
CUNY Queens College
Grad rate: 58.4% |
-$93,782 | $40,917 | $13,643 | $13,000 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Hobart William Smith Colleges
Grad rate: 73.2% |
-$99,170 | $54,991 | $80,635 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Canisius University
Grad rate: 68.3% |
-$105,544 | $45,177 | $42,271 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
CUNY Hunter College
Grad rate: 58.7% |
-$106,195 | $40,061 | $13,310 | $10,500 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Binghamton University
Grad rate: 83.2% |
-$125,142 | $42,997 | $29,657 | $19,596 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
CUNY Brooklyn College
Grad rate: 55.8% |
-$127,272 | $38,351 | $13,573 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
CUNY Lehman College
Grad rate: 51.2% |
-$133,095 | $39,055 | $13,456 | $15,090 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
State University of New York at Cortland
Grad rate: 68.5% |
-$150,412 | $41,517 | $26,413 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Colgate University
Grad rate: 90.9% |
-$159,820 | $50,739 | $83,650 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Fordham University
Grad rate: 81.8% |
-$169,724 | $50,739 | $77,351 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Hofstra University
Grad rate: 67.4% |
-$178,266 | $48,462 | $68,298 | $25,418 | 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 History Degrees by State
Browse History programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.