New York

Average student debt in New York — 44 colleges, and what their graduates earn

Every New York university with published federal figures, ordered by how fast the debt clears. The typical graded US university clears its debt in 1.3 years on median earnings of $57,146 against $22,500 of debt.

#UniversityGradeYou borrowMonthlyYou earnDebt clears in
1 United States Merchant Marine Academy New York A $8,833 $100 $90,610 0.2 yrs
2 Cornell University New York A $14,000 $159 $104,043 0.2 yrs
3 Colgate University New York A $15,000 $171 $85,139 0.3 yrs
4 Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art New York A $15,000 $171 $83,847 0.3 yrs
5 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute New York A $23,750 $270 $102,051 0.4 yrs
6 SUNY Maritime College New York A $23,250 $264 $95,951 0.4 yrs
7 Barnard College New York A $18,000 $205 $80,516 0.4 yrs
8 Hamilton College New York A $17,000 $193 $78,411 0.4 yrs
9 New York University New York A $20,500 $233 $82,509 0.5 yrs
10 Clarkson University New York A $26,000 $296 $89,696 0.5 yrs
11 Union College New York A $25,337 $288 $88,604 0.5 yrs
12 University of Rochester New York A $21,000 $239 $79,042 0.5 yrs
13 Fordham University New York A $24,300 $276 $85,569 0.5 yrs
14 Yeshiva University New York A $18,250 $208 $71,353 0.6 yrs
15 Vassar College New York A $18,625 $212 $71,366 0.6 yrs
16 University at Buffalo New York B $19,000 $216 $70,814 0.6 yrs
17 Skidmore College New York B $19,500 $222 $69,363 0.7 yrs
18 Syracuse University New York B $26,000 $296 $79,164 0.7 yrs
19 Adelphi University New York B $25,000 $284 $75,482 0.7 yrs
20 Rochester Institute of Technology New York B $26,778 $304 $76,571 0.7 yrs
21 Wagner College New York B $25,000 $284 $74,360 0.7 yrs
22 Pace University New York B $23,250 $264 $70,378 0.8 yrs
23 New York Institute of Technology New York B $23,334 $265 $70,080 0.8 yrs
24 Hofstra University New York B $23,621 $269 $69,039 0.8 yrs
25 Hobart and William Smith Colleges New York B $27,000 $307 $68,831 0.9 yrs
26 Mount Saint Mary College New York B $26,007 $296 $67,705 0.9 yrs
27 St. Lawrence University New York C $27,000 $307 $67,258 1 yrs
28 Le Moyne College New York C $23,000 $262 $62,731 1 yrs
29 Ithaca College New York C $24,000 $273 $63,548 1 yrs
30 State University of New York at New Paltz New York C $18,750 $213 $58,073 1 yrs

In-state tuition is the lever that moves this most

The debt column is shaped far more by residency and institutional aid than by anything else. If you are applying from another state or another country, the figures here understate what you would borrow — check the university's own net price for your situation.

Read the salary next to the debt, never alone

Two universities in this state with identical graduate salaries can be two grades apart, because one leaves students owing twice as much. The payback column is the one that combines both.

Questions

Which university in New York pays back fastest?
United States Merchant Marine Academy — $90,610 median earnings against $8,833 of debt, clearing in about 0.2 years.
How much do US students typically borrow?
Across the 810 universities we grade, median debt at graduation is $22,500 — about $256 a month on the standard ten-year federal plan.
Can scholarships change these numbers?
Directly. Every award comes off the borrowing before you ever repay it, which shortens the payback on each university page. Each page lists the scholarships we hold for that institution.
All payback rankings Fastest payback Lowest debt Highest earnings Scholarships that cut the debt How we calculate this

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures cover students who received federal financial aid and blend every subject at each institution. Information only, not financial advice.