CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, New York · Public · 47.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 92/100 · Exceptional Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Baruch College scores 92 (Exceptional Value) on the CampusROI scale. The earnings premium sub-score is a perfect 100 (raw 3.377). A $3,033 average net price is effectively subsidized education, and median debt of $11,512 against $47,500 average 6-year earnings produces a 3.7-year payback and a 0.242 debt-to-earnings ratio. Finance dominates by volume: 891 graduates earning $54,991 year-one and $84,956 at year four (ROI grade A). Accounting (525 graduates, $54,281 year-one, ROI grade A) and General Sales/Merchandising (580 graduates, $41,897 year-one, ROI grade A) are the next largest. Information Science (290 graduates, $51,864 year-one, ROI grade A) and Management Sciences (82 graduates, $62,306 year-one, ROI grade A) complete the top-earner cluster. The 72.1% completion rate is the one weakness relative to the outstanding financial metrics. Baruch's location in Midtown Manhattan gives graduates direct access to the largest financial services market in the world.
Graduates recoup their total investment in just 3.7 years. The median across the schools we score is about 12 years.
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,464/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $15,414/yr |
| Average net price | $3,033/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $12,132 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $75,971 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $47,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $11,512 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $122 |
| Estimated payback period | 3.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 72.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 16,154 |
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: $7,464/year ($15,414/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $3,033/year, or roughly $12,132 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 $607/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $12,314/year. If money is tight, that matters: this school gives low-income students enough aid to land well below the sticker price.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $11,512, which works out to about $122 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($47,500) and comes to 0.24, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $607 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $2,052 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $6,312 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $8,623 |
| $110,001+ | $12,314 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $607 per year. That is not a typo - Baruch's need-based aid structure effectively makes this school free for the lowest-income students. Four-year cost of roughly $2,400 compares with $47,500 average 6-year earnings. The 56.9% Pell grant rate and $607 net price together represent the clearest evidence that Baruch is doing what public higher education is supposed to do for low-income students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $6,312 per year, and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $8,623. At $6,300-$8,600 annually, four-year costs of $25,000-$34,500 against $47,500 in average earnings and a 3.7-year payback is a clear win.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $12,314 per year - roughly $49,000 over four years. At this price with $47,500 average 6-year earnings, the payback is rapid. Baruch is a legitimately strong option for full-pay families who want business school outcomes without private business school debt. The one constraint is that high-income families expecting the residential and social experience of a private campus will not find it here.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at CUNY Bernard M Baruch College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management | $84,956 | A |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | $76,565 | A |
| Accounting | $90,104 | A |
| Information Science | $85,870 | A |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $73,619 | B+ |
| Business/Corporate Communications | $69,215 | B+ |
| Psychology | $58,476 | B |
| Communication and Media Studies | $59,756 | A |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $94,582 | A |
| International Relations | $64,231 | B |
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 Baruch's largest and signature program: 891 graduates, $54,991 year-one, $84,956 at year four, ROI grade A, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.200 with $11,000 median debt. Median debt is $11,000 against $55k immediate earnings in New York City. Baruch finance graduates feed directly into Wall Street firms, large banks, and insurance companies within walking distance of campus. The ROI grade is A at $11,000 debt.
Accounting
Accounting produces 525 graduates with $54,281 year-one and $90,104 at year four, ROI grade A, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.203 with $11,000 median debt. The four-year trajectory above $90k reflects CPA track advancement and Big Four accounting firm placements. At $11,000 in debt and $54k starting salary in New York, this is an exceptional financial outcome for a public institution.
Information Science
Information Science produces 290 graduates with $51,864 year-one and $85,870 at year four, ROI grade A, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.206 with $10,673 median debt. The four-year trajectory reflects placement into tech-adjacent finance and data analytics roles in New York. Information Science at Baruch occupies the intersection of business and technology, and the labor market rewards that combination well. Median debt under $11,000 at this earnings trajectory is exceptional.
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods shows 82 graduates with $62,306 year-one and $94,582 at year four, ROI grade A, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.144 with $9,000 median debt. This is the best debt-adjusted outcome among Baruch's large programs: $9,000 in median debt against $62k immediate earnings. Quantitative business skills command significant wage premiums in New York's financial sector, and this program's graduates appear to be capturing that premium.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 72.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 77.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 70.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 75.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How CUNY Bernard M Baruch College’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 | 47.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 550-710 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 550-690 |
| Enrollment | 16,154 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 56.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $12,558 |
Baruch admits 47.5% of applicants. SAT Math 550-710 and Reading 550-690 define the middle half of admits. ACT data is not reported. The business school orientation means quantitative aptitude is particularly important.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Baruch's earnings premium score is 100.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College (this school) | 92 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| University of Maryland-College Park | 94 | $15,678 | $82,860 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | 91 | $17,354 | $73,792 |
| University of Connecticut | 85 | $25,097 | $73,997 |
| CUNY Brooklyn College | 81 | $3,103 | $60,752 |
| College of Staten Island CUNY | 67 | $5,579 | $53,501 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See CUNY Bernard M Baruch College side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Baruch admits 47.5% of applicants - meaningfully selective for a public institution. SAT mid-ranges are 550-710 Math and 550-690 Reading; ACT data is not reported. Enrollment is 16,154. The Pell grant rate is 56.9%. The student body is heavily commuter and overwhelmingly focused on business, accounting, and finance careers. Students who thrive in urban, academically demanding, career-oriented environments without the traditional residential college experience will find a strong fit. Students expecting a conventional campus life will not find it here.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
If you're asking whether CUNY Bernard M Baruch College is worth it, the short answer is yes - it's one of the strongest money decisions in higher education. Four years here run about $12,132 after aid, and the typical graduate earns $75,971 ten years out. That earnings head start covers the cost in roughly 3.7 years, well ahead of most schools.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, its 72.1% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings.
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. Median debt of $11,512 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $47,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.24: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College: Common Questions
Is CUNY Bernard M Baruch College worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students CUNY Bernard M Baruch College pays off. It scores 92/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $3,033 a year after aid ($12,132 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $75,971 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 3.7 years to earn back.
How much does CUNY Bernard M Baruch College 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 $3,033 a year, or roughly $12,132 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 CUNY Bernard M Baruch College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $75,971 ten years after enrolling, roughly $34,171 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 CUNY Bernard M Baruch College?
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 3.7 years for CUNY Bernard M Baruch College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do CUNY Bernard M Baruch College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $11,512, against average earnings of $47,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.24. In our view that is very manageable: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
What is the graduation rate at CUNY Bernard M Baruch College?
The six-year graduation rate is 72.1%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (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.