Long Island University
Brookville, New York · Private Nonprofit · 86.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 49/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Long Island University (LIU Post campus in Brookville) scores 49 out of 100 (Below Average Value). The story is a sharp split between strong professional health programs and weaker liberal arts outcomes. Tuition is $42,432 with net price at $33,062 and a four-year sticker of $132,248. Median federal debt is $23,577. Where LIU genuinely wins: the Pharmacy program (178 graduates, A grade, $136,840 four-year earnings), Registered Nursing (416 graduates, B+ grade, $100,097 first-year earnings), and Allied Health Diagnostic (B+ grade, $92,696 first-year earnings). Outside the health professions, programs cluster in C/D territory. A 57.1% completion rate and 67.2% three-year repayment rate keep the headline score from breaking into Fair Value. LIU is best understood as a strong professional-health pipeline wrapped in a comprehensive university structure.
Long Island University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $42,432/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $42,432/yr |
| Average net price | $33,062/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $132,248 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $59,950 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $41,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,577 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $250 |
| Estimated payback period | 10.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 57.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,520 |
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: $42,432/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $33,062/year, or roughly $132,248 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 $22,019/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $52,826/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,577, which works out to about $250 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($41,500) 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 | $22,019 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $20,408 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $24,516 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,001 |
| $110,001+ | $52,826 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 pay $22,019 net price. With $59,950 in 10-year median earnings and $23,577 in median debt, low-income students who land into the high-ROI health programs come out clearly ahead. New York TAP and Pell stacking helps meaningfully. For non-health majors, the math is tighter.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $20,408 - the cheapest tier on this profile, an inverted bracket where lower-middle-income families pay less than the lowest bracket. The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $24,516 and $75,001-$110,000 pays $27,001. The dip at $30K-$48K likely reflects merit-aid concentration.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $52,826 - higher than the published $42,432 sticker tuition (the difference reflects room and board). The aid model concentrates discounts at lower incomes; full-pay families pay close to the maximum.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Long Island University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $118,331 | B+ |
| Pharmacy | $136,840 | A |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $66,231 | D |
| Health Professions, Residency Programs | $56,863 | D |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $43,904 | F |
| Allied Health Diagnostic and Treatment | $107,539 | B+ |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | $39,038 | - |
| Biology | $50,986 | F |
| Psychology | $51,029 | D |
| Accounting | $67,733 | 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.
Registered Nursing
The largest program with 416 graduates earns a B+ grade. First-year earnings of $100,097 climb to $118,331 by year four against $31,000 median debt and a 0.31 debt-to-earnings ratio. Excellent ROI.
Pharmacy
178 graduates from this PharmD program earn an A grade. Four-year median earnings of $136,840 against $25,000 median debt produce a 0.183 debt-to-earnings ratio. Pharmacy as a profession faces saturation pressures nationally, but LIU's Brooklyn pharmacy program is well-established and graduates are placing into chain-pharmacy, hospital, and specialty roles at strong wages.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Ninety-one graduates earn a D grade. First-year earnings of $29,585 climb sharply to $66,231 by year four against $22,570 median debt and a 0.763 ratio. The four-year jump from $30K to $66K is striking and indicates real career-track placement - the entry math looks weak but the trajectory is much stronger. NYC-metro business hiring rewards the credential over time.
Health Professions, Residency Programs
Eighty-four graduates earn a D grade. First-year earnings of $31,153 climb to $56,863 by year four against $25,000 median debt and a 0.802 ratio. This category likely captures pre-PA, pre-OT, and pre-PT students still progressing through residency or graduate programs at the earnings measurement window. The progression suggests advanced credentials get earned, but students need to plan for graduate borrowing.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Sixty-three graduates earn an F grade with the worst ratio in the portfolio. First-year earnings of $18,671 against $26,000 median debt produce a 1.393 ratio. Four-year earnings climb to $43,904, indicating real progression for those who stay in the field. Gig-economy income is often underrepresented in Scorecard data, but the entry-level financial position is genuinely tough.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 57.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 67.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 58.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 64.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Long Island University’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 | 86.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 550-680 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 560-670 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-30 |
| Enrollment | 5,520 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 17.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $13,296 |
LIU admits 86.2% of applicants - broadly accessible. SAT mid-ranges run 550-680 math and 560-670 reading, ACT 21-30. The wide test-score range signals the school admits across a broad academic preparation spectrum. The 57.1% completion rate is consistent with that mix - prepared students mostly finish, while marginal admits leave at higher rates. Pharmacy admissions are notably more selective than the institutional average; pre-pharmacy students should plan for stricter requirements.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The school operates Brooklyn and Brookville campuses with different program mixes.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Island University (this school) | 49 | $33,062 | $59,950 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
| Wilmington University | 51 | $15,644 | $53,844 |
| Park University | 50 | $21,032 | $56,309 |
| Franklin University | 37 | $25,243 | $51,892 |
Who Thrives Here
LIU enrolls 5,520 students with a 17% Pell rate, drawing primarily from Long Island, NYC, and the broader tri-state area. The fit is clearest for students pursuing pharmacy (PharmD), nursing, allied health diagnostics, or accounting.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Long Island University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $33,062 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $59,950 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 10.9 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a three-year loan repayment rate of 67.2% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $23,577 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $41,500 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.
Long Island University: Common Questions
Is Long Island University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Long Island University scores 49/100 on our ROI scale. At $33,062 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $59,950 ten years after entry, so it takes about 10.9 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Long Island University 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 $33,062 a year, or roughly $132,248 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 Long Island University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $59,950 ten years after enrolling, roughly $18,150 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 Long Island University?
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 10.9 years for Long Island University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Long Island University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,577, against average earnings of $41,500 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 Long Island University?
The six-year graduation rate is 57.1%. 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.