Alfred University
Alfred, New York · Private Nonprofit · 73.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 43/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Alfred University is a small private institution in upstate New York with a distinctive ceramic engineering and fine arts identity, scoring 43 on the CampusROI scale - Below Benchmark tier. The cost stack is high: $41,500 sticker tuition, $25,620 average net price, and a $102,480 four-year total. Outcomes are mixed: 10-year median earnings of $54,897 produce a 19.4% earnings premium (sub-score 40) and a 12.2-year payback period (sub-score 48). Median debt of $26,000 against those earnings yields a 0.74 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 21), the weakest input. Repayment at 79.6% (sub-score 70) is solid, signaling that graduates do reliably service their loans. Completion at 57% (sub-score 54) is reasonable. The institutional pattern is notably bimodal: Alfred has strong niche programs in ceramic engineering and mechanical engineering (B grades, $79,000-$83,000 four-year earnings), but its identity as an arts-and-design destination means the largest single cohort is fine arts (63 graduates per year, F grade, debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.18). Major selection is the dominant factor in whether the math works.
How Alfred University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score43/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
Alfred University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $41,500/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $41,500/yr |
| Average net price | $25,620/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $102,480 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $54,897 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $276 |
| Estimated payback period | 12.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 57.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,423 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $41,500/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $25,620/year, or roughly $102,480 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $16,512/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $33,388/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,000, which works out to about $276 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($34,900) and comes to 0.74, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $16,512 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,067 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $22,125 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $28,280 |
| $110,001+ | $33,388 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $16,512 net annually, slightly above the $30,001-$48,000 bracket's $15,067 - a mild inversion worth flagging. Over four years that is roughly $66,000 of cost. For Pell-eligible NY students with engineering aspirations this is workable, particularly with TAP state aid; for arts-track students at the same price point the math is much harder.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households at $48,001-$75,000 pay $22,125 and $75,001-$110,000 pays $28,280 - $89,000-$113,000 over four years.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $33,388 net, or about $134,000 over four years. This tier is essentially a fit-and-program-driven choice.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Alfred University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Fine and Studio Arts | $38,877 | F |
| Psychology | $47,445 | F |
| Mechanical Engineering | $79,452 | B |
| Teacher Education | $49,612 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $61,629 | D |
| Engineering, Other | $71,845 | - |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $57,570 | F |
| Ceramic Sciences and Engineering | $83,641 | B |
| Accounting | $55,250 | - |
| Marketing | $55,339 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering is one of Alfred's flagship ROI programs. Graduates earn $63,747 at one year and $79,452 at four years against $27,000 of debt - a 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B grade. This engineering cohort has 28 graduates per year. Career paths span manufacturing, materials science, and the upstate NY engineering corridor. Strong placement track.
Ceramic Sciences and Engineering
With just 8 graduates per year this is a small but exceptionally strong cohort. Career endpoints span advanced materials, semiconductor, glass, and aerospace industries - specialized labor markets where Alfred graduates have outsized recognition.
Fine and Studio Arts
Fine and Studio Arts is the single largest cohort at 63 graduates per year, but financially the weakest. Graduates earn $22,912 at one year and $38,877 at four years against $27,000 of debt - a 1.18 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F grade. Debt exceeds annual earnings, which is structurally hard to recover from on a 10-year repayment plan. Alfred's School of Art and Design has strong reputation in studio practice, but the price-to-earnings math is unforgiving for most graduates.
Psychology
Psychology graduates earn $26,433 at one year and $47,445 at four years against $27,000 of debt - a 1.02 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F grade. With 30 graduates per year this is a meaningful cohort. As is typical for bachelor's psychology, well-paid clinical paths require master's or doctoral training; the high debt load at Alfred makes the necessary graduate work even more expensive.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration graduates earn $36,059 at one year and $61,629 at four years against $26,000 of debt - a 0.72 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. With 21 graduates per year this is a meaningful cohort. The four-year earnings figure is reasonable but the year-one figure is weak, suggesting graduates take time to find their footing in a competitive labor market.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 73.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 79.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 77.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 81.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Alfred University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 73.8% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 540-650 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 555-660 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 24-29 |
| Enrollment | 1,423 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,390 |
Alfred admits 73.8% of applicants. SAT mid-50% ranges of 540-650 math and 555-660 reading, with an ACT mid-range of 24-29, indicate an academically prepared student body, particularly at the upper ends. The 57% completion rate suggests admitted students who commit generally finish. Selectivity here correlates with reasonable but not exceptional outcomes; the price-to-payoff math is the issue, not student quality.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred University (this school) | 43 | $25,620 | $54,897 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
| Wartburg College | 47 | $32,908 | $56,201 |
| Lubbock Christian University | 46 | $24,456 | $53,787 |
| Meredith College | 43 | $22,488 | $51,539 |
Who Thrives Here
Outcomes look strong for the engineering tracks (mechanical at $79,452, ceramic at $83,641) and respectable for business ($61,629) and teacher ed ($49,612 at $22,020 debt - B grade). Outcomes are very weak for the largest cohort, fine arts (63 graduates, F grade), which is the financial paradox at the heart of Alfred's value proposition.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Alfred University scores 43/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $25,620 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $54,897 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 12.2 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $26,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $34,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Alfred University: Common Questions
Is Alfred University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Alfred University scores 43/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $25,620 a year after aid against $54,897 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 12.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Alfred University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $25,620 a year, or roughly $102,480 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Alfred University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $54,897 ten years after enrolling, roughly $13,097 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Alfred University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 12.2 years for Alfred University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Alfred University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,000, against average earnings of $34,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Alfred University?
The six-year graduation rate is 57.0%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.