Lesley University
Cambridge, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit · 96.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 38/100 · Poor Value
Lesley University earns an ROI score of 38 out of 100, landing in the Poor Value tier. The school's $34,256 tuition is moderate for a private Cambridge, MA institution, but aid trims only marginally to a $31,152 net price, producing a $124,608 four-year all-in. Graduates earn just $33,400 six years out and $51,173 at ten years, with a $21,000 median debt and a 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio just below the federal warning line. The 16.4-year payback period reflects modest earnings against the cost. The 58.0% completion rate and 72.7% repayment rate are middling. The fundamental challenge is Lesley's program mix: education, psychology, expressive arts, and design dominate, all majors with structurally compressed early-career wages. The Cambridge location confers proximity to Boston-area employers but does not deliver Boston-area earnings outcomes. For an education student headed into Massachusetts teaching, the math works through PSLF and state retirement; for arts-track students taking on private-school debt, the result is genuinely poor.
The data raises concerns about Lesley University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score38/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period16.4 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Lesley University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $34,256/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $34,256/yr |
| Average net price | $31,152/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $124,608 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $51,173 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $223 |
| Estimated payback period | 16.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 58.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,122 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Lesley University is $34,256/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $31,152/year, or roughly $124,608 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $24,799/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $35,152/year.
The median graduate leaves with $21,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $223 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $51,173 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.63 - 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 | $24,799 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $24,044 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $29,030 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $33,201 |
| $110,001+ | $35,152 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $24,799, and the $30,001-$48,000 band pays slightly less at $24,044. These are high net prices for low-income students given the institution's modest aid budget, and Pell Grant eligibility helps but does not close the gap. Over four years, low-income families face roughly $96,000 in total cost against $51,173 ten-year earnings, a difficult ratio.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 band pays $29,030, and the $75,001-$110,000 band rises to $33,201. Middle-income families are absorbing roughly $116,000-$133,000 over four years. Combined with weak earnings outcomes, this bracket sees one of the toughest cost-to-return ratios in the database. UMass Boston or any state alternative would deliver dramatically better financial math.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $35,152, essentially full sticker plus fees. Over four years, high-income families absorb roughly $140,000 in net cost. For this tier, Lesley is a pure values purchase; the modest earnings outcomes do not justify the premium over a flagship public or a stronger private. Decision should be made on mission and program fit rather than financial return.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Lesley University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | $45,099 | F |
| Psychology | $56,837 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $45,293 | D |
| Teacher Education | $52,570 | C+ |
| Visual and Performing Arts | $49,175 | F |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $43,129 | D |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $41,320 | C |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $45,508 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $67,879 | B |
| Clinical Psychology | $52,367 | 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.
Design and Applied Arts
Design and Applied Arts is Lesley's largest program at 63 graduates and one of the school's weakest financial pathways. First-year earnings of $25,227 climb to $45,099 at four years, with $26,500 median debt producing a 1.05 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. The ratio above 1.0 means median debt exceeds annual early-career earnings, the threshold the federal government flags for gainful employment review. Design grads should expect a long, financially difficult early career.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 50 students earning $39,211 first-year and $56,837 four-year. Median debt of $23,848 produces a 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C grade. Many Lesley psychology students continue to graduate school in clinical or counseling psychology, which is reflected in the four-year earnings jump. Plan for graduate school as part of the cost picture.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts and Sciences graduates 47 students with $35,658 first-year and $45,293 four-year earnings. Median debt of $30,057 is the highest in the program portfolio, producing a 0.84 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. This general-purpose track functions as a feeder for graduate study but produces weak terminal-degree outcomes.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education graduates 38 students with $36,897 first-year and $52,570 four-year earnings. Median debt of $17,918 (notably below the institution average) produces a 0.49 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ grade, Lesley's strongest result. Massachusetts teacher pay is among the highest in the country and PSLF eligibility for public school teachers materially improves the long-run picture beyond these numbers. The clearest financial pathway on campus.
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual and Performing Arts graduates 30 students with $20,600 first-year earnings, rising to $49,175 at four years. Median debt of $26,000 produces a 1.26 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F grade. The first-year compression is extreme, common for arts grads, and the four-year recovery is real but slow. Borrowing private-school debt for this trajectory is financially difficult to justify.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 66.7% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 72.7% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 66.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 70.6% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 96.9% |
| Enrollment | 1,122 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 30.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,813 |
Lesley University admits 96.9% of applicants, making it essentially open admission. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data, consistent with the school's test-optional posture and its small humanities-and-arts-focused student body. The 58.0% completion rate reflects that the school accepts academically marginal students without consistently delivering the support needed to bring them to graduation.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Lesley's peer set is a strange mix. Amherst College is in a different universe entirely on ROI; the comparison reveals what an elite endowment-backed LAC delivers versus a mid-tier private. American International College is a similar Massachusetts open-admission private institution and scores in roughly the same tier. Geneva College in PA, Our Lady of the Lake University in TX, and the University of Pikeville in KY are all small mission-driven private institutions with comparable ROI challenges. Lesley is performing about where its true peer set performs, with the Cambridge address not translating into the earnings premium one might expect.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lesley University (this school) | 38 | $31,152 | $51,173 |
| Amherst College | 90 | $23,367 | $77,644 |
| American International College | 38 | $23,274 | $53,124 |
| Geneva College | 38 | $25,890 | $50,004 |
| Our Lady of the Lake University | 35 | $16,442 | $48,675 |
| University of Pikeville | 33 | $20,311 | $48,231 |
Who Thrives Here
Lesley enrolls 1,122 students with a 30.6% Pell rate, a mix of working-class and middle-class students drawn to its education, expressive arts therapies, and creative programs. The fit profile is a student who wants a small Cambridge-area private school for education or therapeutic arts training, accepts the financial trade-off because of mission alignment, and plans to leverage Massachusetts teaching pipelines or graduate-school feeders. The 58% completion rate and modest earnings suggest students should treat this as a values choice; the financial decision alone does not justify the premium over Massachusetts public alternatives.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Lesley University. With a net cost of $31,152 per year and median graduate earnings of only $51,173 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 16.4 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and high debt relative to what graduates earn and a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,000 against $51,173 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.