CUNY Medgar Evers College
Brooklyn, New York · Public · 86.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 56/100 · Below Average Value
CUNY Medgar Evers College scores 56 (Below Average Value), an unusual profile where strong cost and earnings-premium fundamentals are dragged down by historically low completion. Median earnings 10 years out are $46,498, and the earnings premium versus a high school baseline is a robust 50.3% - one of the highest sub-scores any school can post. Net price is just $5,718, in-state tuition $7,352, and median debt of $10,988 yields a manageable 0.366 debt-to-earnings ratio. So why only a 56? The completion rate is 19.8% - one of the lowest in the dataset - and the three-year repayment rate is just 54.0%. The 14.2-year payback period reflects modest absolute earnings ($30,000 at six years post-entry). The picture: students who finish at Medgar Evers actually do well by the cost-to-earnings ratio, especially in nursing, social work, and education tracks. The institutional-level ROI score is suppressed by the large fraction who don't finish on time and whose earnings then anchor the medians. For prepared, full-time students with a clear major, the underlying value is significantly better than the headline 56 suggests.
The data raises concerns about CUNY Medgar Evers College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- 6-year graduation rate19.8% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
CUNY Medgar Evers College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,352/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $15,302/yr |
| Average net price | $5,718/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $22,872 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,498 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $30,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $10,988 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $116 |
| Estimated payback period | 14.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 19.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,233 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at CUNY Medgar Evers College is $7,352/year ($15,302/year out-of-state). But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $5,718/year, or roughly $22,872 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $4,368/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $14,006/year. The school provides substantial aid to low-income students, making it significantly more affordable than the sticker price suggests.
The median graduate leaves with $10,988 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $116 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $46,498 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.37 - well within manageable territory.
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 | $4,368 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $5,547 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $8,661 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $10,131 |
| $110,001+ | $14,006 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay only $4,368 net annually - genuinely affordable, and one of the lowest figures in the dataset. With 56% Pell and a heavily lower-income student body, this bracket is the modal Medgar Evers family. The cash math is excellent on paper; the practical risk is non-completion driven by external pressures (work, family) rather than tuition cost.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $8,661, still well below the school's overall net price. Over four years that's roughly $35K out of pocket. For families in this bracket who can support a full-time student, Medgar Evers offers strong value - especially in the nursing, social work, and accounting tracks.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Top-bracket families ($110,001+) pay $14,006 net annually - higher than tuition, reflecting limited institutional aid at this income level. This is still well below most private alternatives in the New York metro area. Medgar Evers is rarely the first choice for high-income families, but the math holds for those drawn to its Brooklyn-rooted mission.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at CUNY Medgar Evers College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $56,157 | B |
| Psychology | $56,458 | B+ |
| Social Work | $60,755 | B+ |
| Business Administration and Management | $53,503 | B+ |
| Public Administration | $53,849 | B |
| Special Education and Teaching | $66,377 | A |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $61,987 | B |
| Accounting | $61,799 | B |
| Information Science | $45,267 | - |
| Registered Nursing | $125,792 | A |
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.
Biology
Biology is the largest program at 124 graduates per year. Median earnings of $39,810 first-year and $56,157 four-year are solid for a regional public, with $13,980 median debt yielding a 0.351 debt-to-earnings ratio (B grade). Career paths typically run through pre-health professional programs (nursing, PA, dental). The program is a defensible value play; students continuing to graduate or professional school see the strongest long-run outcomes.
Psychology
Psychology (87 graduates) earns a B+ ROI grade with $39,868 first-year and $56,458 four-year earnings. Median debt of $11,700 against a 0.293 debt-to-earnings ratio is one of the cleaner profiles on campus. As with most psychology programs, terminal bachelor's earnings are modest and the degree is most valuable as a pre-master's pipeline; Medgar Evers's New York labor market gives graduates better-than-typical placement options.
Social Work
Social Work (47 graduates) posts $44,311 first-year and $60,755 four-year earnings - strong for the field, reflecting NYC's deep social services labor market. Median debt of $15,096 yields a 0.341 ratio (B+ grade). This is one of Medgar Evers's strongest mission-aligned programs financially, especially for students continuing to MSW programs that unlock licensure and higher earnings.
Business Administration and Management
Business Administration and Management (35 graduates) earns a B+ with $37,978 first-year and $53,503 four-year earnings against $12,444 median debt (0.328 ratio). This is the more affordable business track on campus and posts cleaner numbers than the broader 5202 business code. A solid mainstream choice for students aiming at NYC corporate and public-sector roles.
Accounting
Accounting (13 graduates) earns a B grade with modest $33,205 first-year earnings climbing strongly to $61,799 at four years. Median debt of $12,200 yields a 0.367 ratio. Students who pursue CPA credentials in the New York market can substantially outpace these medians; this is a high-leverage track for students willing to push for the credential.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 42.3% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 54.0% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 47.0% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 45.2% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 86.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 410-500 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 440-520 |
| Enrollment | 3,233 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 56.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,999 |
Medgar Evers admits 86.1% of applicants, consistent with CUNY's broad-access mission. SAT mid-ranges (math 410-500, reading 440-520) sit below most CUNY senior colleges. ACT scores aren't reported. The admit rate paired with a 19.8% completion rate is the central red flag: Medgar Evers serves a heavily working, part-time, first-generation Brooklyn population, and many students stop out for non-academic reasons. Selectivity here is not a meaningful predictor of finishing.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peers include CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College (a far more selective and stronger-ROI sister CUNY), CUNY Brooklyn College, Eastern Connecticut State University, Nevada State University, and Indiana University Southeast. Baruch is the obvious comparison and posts dramatically higher ROI scores (60s-70s) thanks to higher completion and a business-heavy program mix. Among the broader-access peers, Medgar Evers's earnings premium is competitive but its 19.8% completion rate is materially lower than Eastern Connecticut or IU Southeast, which sit in the 40-50% completion range.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY Medgar Evers College (this school) | 56 | $5,718 | $46,498 |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | 92 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| CUNY Brooklyn College | 81 | $3,103 | $60,752 |
| Nevada State University | 58 | $14,068 | $53,166 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | 55 | $21,067 | $56,469 |
| Indiana University-Southeast | 52 | $7,888 | $47,596 |
Who Thrives Here
Pell rate is 56.3%, enrollment is 3,233, and the campus is in central Brooklyn - a predominantly first-generation, Caribbean-American, working-adult student body. Strong fits are students entering nursing, social work, public administration, or special education who can finish at a deliberate pace and leverage New York City public-sector and healthcare labor markets (where program-level earnings are excellent: nursing posts $115,779 first-year). The mismatch is part-time students juggling work and family without a clear path to finish - the financial cost is low, but credential-less stop-outs still face debt without the earnings boost.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The financial case for CUNY Medgar Evers College is mixed. At $5,718 per year net cost, graduates earn a median of $46,498 ten years after entry - a payback period of 14.2 years. That's below the average return for four-year institutions, and prospective students should carefully consider whether the investment aligns with their financial goals.
Key strengths include strong earnings premium over high school graduates, manageable debt relative to earnings. However, the data also shows a 19.8% graduation rate and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $10,988 is very manageable against $46,498 in annual earnings - well within the financial advisor rule of thumb that total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
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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.