Canisius University
Buffalo, New York · Private Nonprofit · 72.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 67/100 · Fair Value
Canisius University scores 67 (Fair Value) on the CampusROI scale, a middling result driven by tensions between a reasonable earnings premium and troubling completion and debt metrics. Median 6-year earnings sit at $37,900 against a net price of $17,940 per year, producing an 8.2-year payback period. The completion rate of 66.4% means roughly one in three enrolled students does not finish -- a real risk that depresses the school-wide average. Median debt of $24,250 carries a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64, which is high enough to constrain graduates who enter lower-earning fields. Finance is the largest high-volume program (53 graduates), posting $48,587 year-one and $70,001 year-four earnings with a C+ ROI grade. Accounting (28 graduates) does better at $53,065 year-one and $82,563 year-four with a C+ grade. The Jesuit liberal arts identity translates unevenly to labor market outcomes: business-adjacent programs produce acceptable near-term results, while programs like Genetics (D grade, $26,398 year-one), Kinesiology (F grade, $26,254 year-one with debt-to-earnings of 1.028), and Natural Resources Conservation (F grade, $15,681 year-one) produce outcomes that do not justify the cost. The 77.8% repayment rate suggests most graduates eventually manage their debt, but the 1-year repayment rate of 73.3% indicates meaningful early-stage repayment stress. Canisius sits in a competitive market -- Buffalo's private college landscape -- where prospective students have alternatives.
Canisius University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $34,500/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $34,500/yr |
| Average net price | $17,940/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $71,760 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $60,681 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $257 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 66.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,685 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Canisius University is $34,500/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $17,940/year, or roughly $71,760 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $12,781/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,170/year.
The median graduate leaves with $24,250 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $257 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $60,681 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.64 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $12,781 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,404 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,151 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,341 |
| $110,001+ | $24,170 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $12,781 per year at Canisius -- the lowest net price on the income schedule. Over four years that is roughly $51,124, which is meaningful aid for a private Jesuit school with a $34,500 sticker. However, against $37,900 median six-year earnings and an 8.2-year payback period, even low-income students face a significant return timeline. Students who complete a high-earning program (accounting, finance) have a better path; students in lower-earning majors face genuine long-run financial stress.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $16,151 -- a $3,370 jump from the lowest tier. The 75001-110000 bracket rises to $21,341. Middle-income families pay meaningfully more than the lowest bracket but receive less generous aid relative to their ability to pay. At $37,900 median earnings and an 8.2-year payback, the middle-income case requires careful major selection to produce a reasonable financial outcome.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $24,170 per year at Canisius -- roughly $96,680 over four years all-in at net price. Against $37,900 median six-year earnings, full-pay high-income students face a long payback period unless they enter top-performing programs. For business, accounting, or finance students with clear career trajectories, the math is workable. For students entering lower-earning fields, a four-year commitment at this price needs strong justification.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Canisius University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management | $70,001 | C+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $57,036 | F |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $51,532 | D |
| Biology | $48,104 | D |
| Genetics | $40,174 | D |
| Economics | $65,757 | C+ |
| Accounting | $82,563 | C+ |
| International Relations | $62,398 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $60,674 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $62,955 | C+ |
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.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance is Canisius's largest program at 53 graduates and produces the most defensible ROI in the business cluster: $48,587 year-one earnings and $70,001 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.450 (C+ grade) against median debt of $21,875. The year-four trajectory to $70k is reasonable for a Buffalo-region business program. Graduates entering financial services, banking, or corporate finance in smaller Midwestern markets fit this profile. The C+ grade reflects that debt is high relative to near-term earnings, but the four-year arc is encouraging.
Accounting
Accounting (28 graduates) is the strongest ROI program at Canisius by year-four earnings: $53,065 at year one and $82,563 at year four, though the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.509 yields only a C+ grade. Median debt of $26,997 is high enough to create repayment pressure in early years. The four-year arc to $82k is consistent with public accounting career paths (CPA track, controller roles) and suggests meaningful long-run upside, though graduates should be conservative about taking additional debt for graduate education.
Marketing
Marketing (12 graduates, small sample caveat) posts $66,256 at year four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.342 (B+ grade) -- the best ROI grade in the Canisius program roster. Year-one earnings are not reported. The four-year figure is strong for a regional private university marketing program, suggesting graduates who complete this path find competitive roles. The small graduate count limits confidence in the estimate.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology posts an F-grade ROI: 48 graduates, $26,254 year-one earnings, $57,036 at year four, with median debt of $27,000 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.028. Graduates are borrowing more than their entire first-year salary to attend. The year-four recovery to $57k reflects long-run paths into physical therapy, athletic training, or fitness management, but the near-term cash flow burden is severe. This program profile is not financially defensible at Canisius's net price without a clear plan for licensure or graduate study.
Biology
Biology (40 graduates) earns a D grade: $29,397 year-one, $48,104 at year four, debt-to-earnings of 0.893 on median debt of $26,254. Like most biology programs at tuition-dependent private schools, this profile reflects the reality that biology undergraduates are largely pre-professional students whose financial outcome depends on what comes next (medical school, graduate school, lab work). The near-term Scorecard data captures the worst phase of the earnings arc for pre-med tracks and does not project long-run physician income.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 73.3% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 77.9% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 76.2% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 80.3% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 72.4% |
| Enrollment | 1,685 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 32.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,691 |
Canisius admits nearly three-quarters of applicants, placing it in the accessible range for most qualified applicants. Scorecard does not report SAT or ACT score distributions. Admission is not a meaningful filter here; the relevant question for prospective students is whether the program they want produces outcomes that justify the price, and the answer varies sharply by major.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Canisius's Scorecard peer set includes Adelphi University, Albany College of Pharmacy, Mount St. Mary's University, University of Puget Sound, and Simmons University. Canisius (ROI 67) scores lower than this group on average; Simmons and Puget Sound both carry higher completion rates and stronger earnings profiles. The common thread is that regional private schools at $30,000-$40,000 tuition face a structural challenge: they must compete with public universities on cost and with elite schools on prestige, and often win on neither. Canisius's Jesuit identity and Buffalo location serve students who want a mission-driven education in western New York, but the ROI profile requires careful program-level analysis.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canisius University (this school) | 67 | $17,940 | $60,681 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
| Simmons University | 72 | $25,265 | $63,494 |
| Mount St. Mary's University | 68 | $22,655 | $64,072 |
| University of Puget Sound | 62 | $38,394 | $69,594 |
Who Thrives Here
Canisius admits 72.4% of applicants and the Scorecard does not report standardized test score ranges, making selectivity benchmarking limited. Enrollment of 1,685 undergraduates is small; the Jesuit tradition shapes campus culture toward service, ethics, and liberal learning. Pell grant rate of 32.2% indicates meaningful low-income representation. Students entering business, accounting, or finance programs will find workable ROI profiles. Students targeting Kinesiology, biology, natural resources, or communications should weigh the weak earnings outcomes carefully against the cost. Average faculty salary of $8,691 per month is below typical private-nonprofit benchmarks.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Canisius University offers fair financial value, though the ROI depends heavily on individual circumstances. The net cost of $17,940 per year leads to $71,760 over four years, while graduates earn a median of $60,681 a decade out. The payback period of 8.2 years is about average - not bad, but not a standout either.
Key strengths include strong earnings premium over high school graduates. However, the data also shows high debt relative to what graduates earn.
Median debt of $24,250 against $60,681 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.