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
22
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$244,184
Across New York programs
Average Annual Cost
$44,779
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Excelsior University | +$179,788 | $51,791 | N/A | $11,875 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
Grad rate: 72.8% |
+$32,876 | $46,348 | $13,521 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
College of Staten Island CUNY
Grad rate: 33.7% |
-$23,549 | $44,584 | $14,084 | $13,995 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Utica University
Grad rate: 56.9% |
-$82,987 | $47,057 | $36,845 | $27,220 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Empire State University
Grad rate: 27.3% |
-$94,184 | $40,935 | $18,221 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Grad rate: 54.6% |
-$104,288 | $39,528 | $13,712 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
CUNY City College
Grad rate: 56.6% |
-$117,225 | $39,718 | $13,514 | $12,985 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
State University of New York at Cortland
Grad rate: 68.5% |
-$181,614 | $40,102 | $26,413 | $28,150 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Hobart William Smith Colleges
Grad rate: 73.2% |
-$204,140 | $47,920 | $80,635 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
CUNY Medgar Evers College
Grad rate: 23.1% |
-$223,441 | $34,573 | $14,069 | $13,797 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Pace University
Grad rate: 61.4% |
-$248,887 | $44,877 | $68,092 | $25,229 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Fordham University
Grad rate: 81.8% |
-$266,284 | $44,156 | $77,351 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
New York University
Grad rate: 87.8% |
-$292,716 | $44,659 | $79,121 | $21,787 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
State University of New York at Plattsburgh
Grad rate: 61.7% |
-$308,695 | $33,837 | $27,415 | $26,500 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
St. Joseph's University-New York
Grad rate: 66.6% |
-$327,039 | $35,296 | $39,254 | $26,625 | 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.