Dominican University New York
Orangeburg, New York · Private Nonprofit · 63.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 43/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Dominican University New York scores 43 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. The most striking data point is the net price: $41,832 per year - substantially higher than the $34,220 sticker tuition. This occurs when costs beyond tuition (room, board, fees) are included in net price calculations, and it means the all-in cost is $167,328 over four years. Average 6-year earnings of $44,200 and a 52.5% completion rate are the key problems. The 11.7-year payback period is long. Repayment rate of 66.4% at three years signals that a significant share of graduates are not keeping up with loans. Registered Nursing (100 graduates, $93,690 year-one, $111,206 year-four, ROI grade B+) is the institutional standout and the primary justification for enrollment at this price. All other programs perform significantly worse: Criminal Justice ($28,893 year-one, ROI grade D), Social Sciences General ($28,351 year-one, ROI grade D), and English Language and Literature ($26,422 year-one, ROI grade F). The Pell grant rate of 48.4% indicates a majority of students have significant financial need - making the $41,832 net price even more difficult to reconcile against the outcomes data.
How Dominican University New York 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.
Dominican University New York
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $34,220/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $34,220/yr |
| Average net price | $41,832/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $167,328 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $61,171 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $44,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 11.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 52.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,105 |
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: $34,220/year, which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $41,832/year, or roughly $167,328 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 $40,695/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $42,337/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($44,200) and comes to 0.57, 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 | $40,695 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $41,082 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $42,353 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $43,764 |
| $110,001+ | $42,337 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $40,695 per year at Dominican University NY - nearly the full all-in cost and far above what most students in this income bracket can absorb. The $41,832 net price is remarkably flat across all income bands ($40,695 to $43,764), suggesting institutional aid does not meaningfully differentiate by income. For low-income students, this $40,695 annual cost comes with a 52.5% completion rate and $44,200 average 6-year earnings. Nursing-track students who complete are the exception.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $42,353 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $43,764. Net prices are essentially flat across all income brackets at Dominican - a highly unusual pattern that indicates very limited income-based aid differentiation. Middle-income families pay $41,000-$43,000 regardless of need. This is a structural problem with the institution's aid model.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $42,337 - less than what the 75001-110000 bracket pays, another anomalous inversion. High-income families effectively receive a slight discount relative to upper-middle-income families. At $42,337 annually ($169,348 over four years), the cost-benefit case depends entirely on nursing. All other programs produce outcomes that do not justify this all-in cost.
Earnings by Major
Top 9 most popular majors at Dominican University New York with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $111,206 | B+ |
| Social Sciences, General | $56,966 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $57,161 | D |
| Biology | $36,993 | C |
| English Language and Literature | $45,986 | F |
| Social Work | $64,672 | - |
| Communication and Media Studies | $47,995 | C |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $71,464 | - |
| Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment | $30,537 | - |
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.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing is Dominican NY's defining program and the only strong ROI case at the institution: 100 graduates, $93,690 year-one, $111,206 year-four, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.331 (ROI grade B+). Median debt of $31,000 at $93,690 year-one is a 0.33 ratio - very manageable given New York metro nursing salaries. The year-four figure of $111,206 reflects the premium that experienced RNs command in the New York and New Jersey markets. This program alone justifies Dominican's existence as a health sciences institution.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice (19 graduates) earns $28,893 year-one and $57,161 year-four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.934 (ROI grade D). Median debt of $27,000 at $28,893 year-one is 93% of annual income - a difficult starting position. The four-year figure of $57k shows recovery, but early-career financial stress is significant. The annual net price is $41,832; compare it with this program's near-term earnings.
English Language and Literature
English Language and Literature (11 graduates) earns $26,422 year-one and $45,986 year-four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.079 (ROI grade F). Median debt of $28,500 at $26,422 year-one means debt is 108% of annual income. English at Dominican carries a $41,832 annual net price. Graduate school is the only path to improved earnings, adding further debt.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 58.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 57.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 64.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Dominican University New York’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 | 63.3% |
| Enrollment | 1,105 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 48.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,662 |
At 63.3% admission, Dominican is moderately accessible. The Scorecard does not report test score ranges. Admission is not the primary consideration - the $41,832 net price and 52.5% completion rate are the factors that should drive the enrollment decision. Students who are admitted should run detailed program-specific earnings comparisons before committing.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Its nursing program has year-four earnings of $111,206.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dominican University New York (this school) | 43 | $41,832 | $61,171 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
| Mount St. Joseph University | 44 | $16,530 | $51,509 |
| Northwest Nazarene University | 41 | $29,580 | $51,719 |
| Geneva College | 38 | $25,890 | $50,004 |
Who Thrives Here
Dominican University New York admits 63.3% of applicants and does not report test score ranges. At 1,105 enrolled, it is a small Catholic institution in Orangeburg, NY. The Pell rate of 48.4% reflects a predominantly low-to-middle-income student body. Dominican serves the lower Hudson Valley region with a focus on health sciences, social sciences, and business. Nursing is the only program where the financial case is clear. Students considering other programs should compare total cost and expected earnings carefully before enrolling.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Dominican University New York scores 43/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $41,832 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $61,171 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 11.7 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, its 52.5% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 66.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $44,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Dominican University New York: Common Questions
Is Dominican University New York worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Dominican University New York scores 43/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $41,832 a year after aid against $61,171 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 11.7 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Dominican University New York 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 $41,832 a year, or roughly $167,328 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 Dominican University New York graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $61,171 ten years after enrolling, roughly $19,371 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 Dominican University New York?
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 11.7 years for Dominican University New York. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Dominican University New York graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $44,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Dominican University New York?
The six-year graduation rate is 52.5%. 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.