Manhattan University
Riverdale, New York · Private Nonprofit · 78.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 84/100 · Strong Value
Manhattan University is a small Catholic school in Riverdale, New York -- technically the Bronx -- with 2,744 students and an ROI score of 84. That score is driven by a 4.9-year payback period and median 10-year earnings of $86,316, both of which are strong for a private nonprofit with a $53,400 sticker price. Net price drops to $27,256 after aid, which is the real number most students pay. The school is primarily engineering and business. Civil Engineering (100 graduates) and Mechanical Engineering (64 graduates) are the volume programs, and both post B-grade outcomes with starting pay above $70,000. The Business Administration program is the statistical outlier: 45 graduates report median first-year earnings of $113,777, which likely reflects a cohort heavily placed in financial services given the school's proximity to Manhattan. Completion rate of 63.7% is the weak spot in the profile -- roughly 1 in 3 students who start do not finish. At a school with a $27,256 net price, a non-completion is a financially painful outcome. Students who do finish, however, tend to repay debt promptly: the 86.2% repayment rate at three years is among the better figures in this batch.
The median graduate earns $86,316 ten years after entry - well above the national median of roughly $55,000 for 4-year college graduates.
Manhattan University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $53,400/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $53,400/yr |
| Average net price | $27,256/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $109,024 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $86,316 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $54,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $276 |
| Estimated payback period | 4.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 63.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,744 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Manhattan University is $53,400/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $27,256/year, or roughly $109,024 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $27,281/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $28,188/year.
The median graduate leaves with $26,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $276 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $86,316 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.48 - 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 | $27,281 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $23,097 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $28,454 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,808 |
| $110,001+ | $28,188 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $27,281 per year -- nearly as much as the overall net price average. This is a red flag. Low-income students at Manhattan University are not receiving meaningfully better aid than middle-income students. At $27,281 per year for a school with a 63.7% completion rate, low-income families take on significant financial risk. The payback period extends substantially if the student does not complete.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30,001-48,000 bracket actually pays less ($23,097) than the low-income bracket -- an odd inversion that suggests aid packages may not scale cleanly with income. The 48,001-75,000 bracket jumps to $28,454, a sharp increase. The slope is erratic, not gradual. Families in the $48k-$75k range face the worst value proposition in the income distribution: near-full cost with no meaningful aid advantage.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 pay $28,188 -- essentially the same as everyone else. The cost band across all income groups is remarkably compressed: $23,097 to $28,188. This suggests Manhattan's aid model redistributes little and relies on merit aid broadly applied. High-income families choosing Manhattan for engineering programs are making a reasonable bet given the New York earnings premium, but the 0.46 debt-to-earnings ratio means the payback period still demands attention.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Manhattan University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineering | $95,877 | B |
| Mechanical Engineering | $92,802 | B |
| Communication and Media Studies | $74,471 | C |
| Finance and Financial Management | $100,376 | C+ |
| Marketing | $78,423 | C+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $113,777 | A |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $64,116 | C+ |
| Psychology | $64,684 | F |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $89,305 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $78,264 | - |
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.
Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering is Manhattan's largest program by graduate count at 100 per year. Starting pay of $75,290 climbs to $95,877 at four years with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.359 (B grade). Civil engineers from Manhattan University enter a New York metro market that is one of the most active infrastructure and construction zones in the country, with persistent demand from transit agencies, design firms, and developers. The school's Bronx location puts students within commute distance of major project sites and internship opportunities. Median debt of $27,000 is on the higher end but manageable given the earnings trajectory -- payback happens well within a decade.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering graduates 64 students per year. Starting pay of $70,841 rises to $92,802 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.381 (B grade). ME at Manhattan feeds into aerospace, manufacturing, and industrial automation roles in the broader tri-state area. Students also enter consulting and project management roles where ME credentials transfer across industries. The debt load of $27,000 median is higher than ideal, but four-year earnings above $90,000 make the debt-to-earnings ratio manageable. The program sits in the middle of Manhattan's engineering portfolio -- solid, not spectacular.
Accounting
Accounting graduates 24 students annually. Starting pay of $68,992 rises to $92,262 by year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.362 (B grade). Accounting at a New York school carries a specific career advantage: proximity to the firms that recruit the hardest. The Big Four and mid-market accounting firms recruit aggressively in the NYC area, and a school with a functioning placement operation in the Bronx can place students into those pipelines more reliably than comparably ranked schools in other regions. Median debt of $24,984 is moderate relative to the earning trajectory.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance graduates 52 students per year with starting pay of $55,972 and four-year earnings of $100,376. The four-year trajectory is strong, suggesting that early finance careers involve a steep ramp from analyst to associate levels. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.470 earns a C+ grade at the starting-year baseline but improves significantly against the four-year figure. Finance students at Manhattan are essentially paying for access to the New York financial services market. That premium can be worth it for students who land in the right firms, but the 0.47 debt-to-earnings ratio means the bet does not pay off immediately.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 80.9% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 86.2% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 85.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 87.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 78.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 600-678 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 580-680 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 25-29 |
| Enrollment | 2,744 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 36.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $12,755 |
Manhattan University accepts 78.9% of applicants -- broadly accessible. Admitted students score SAT Math 600-678, SAT Reading 580-680, ACT 25-29. The school is not selective in a conventional sense, but the NYC cost-of-living reality filters for motivated applicants who want to be in the city. Engineering admits typically present stronger quantitative records than the average admitted student.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Among Manhattan's listed peers -- Adelphi, Albany College of Pharmacy, University of Detroit Mercy, Thomas Jefferson, and Ohio Northern -- Manhattan leads on 10-year earnings ($86,316) and payback period (4.9 years). Adelphi has similar demographics but lower earnings. Detroit Mercy has comparable engineering programs but a weaker regional labor market. The 63.7% completion rate is Manhattan's main disadvantage versus schools like Ohio Northern (which shows stronger completion metrics). Manhattan's real advantage is geographic: no peer school sits closer to the New York financial and engineering job market.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattan University (this school) | 84 | $27,256 | $86,316 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| Ohio Northern University | 88 | $24,478 | $80,928 |
| Thomas Jefferson University | 86 | $28,928 | $77,449 |
| University of Detroit Mercy | 84 | $15,232 | $71,030 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
Who Thrives Here
Engineering and business students with mid-range SAT scores (Math 600-678, Reading 580-680) and a sense of purpose about their career path. Pell rate of 36% suggests the school serves a meaningful number of lower-income students -- more than peer schools like Stevens or RPI. The 63.7% completion rate means this school is best suited to students who arrive with clear direction; those who drift are at elevated risk of dropping out before earning a credential. NYC proximity matters: students who can network into Manhattan while enrolled get a placement advantage that students at comparable schools in less connected cities do not.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
Manhattan University delivers above-average financial returns for its graduates. At a net cost of $27,256 per year ($109,024 over four years), graduates earn a median of $86,316 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback period at roughly 4.9 years - a solid return on the investment.
The data highlights several strengths: strong earnings premium over high school graduates, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $26,000 against $86,316 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.