Marist University
Poughkeepsie, New York · Private Nonprofit · 56.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 74/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Marist University earns a Fair Value score of 74 out of 100. Completion is excellent at 79.6%, the repayment rate is 85.8% at one year holding steady through year seven, and the payback period is just 7.2 years. Average earnings six years out are $48,200, jumping to a strong median $77,819 at the ten-year mark. The story behind the score: Marist (recently elevated from College to University status) has a clear professional/preprofessional orientation - Business Administration alone produces 291 graduates per year, with 104 more in Specialized Sales/Marketing and 204 in Communication - and Hudson Valley/NYC proximity gives graduates real access to financial services, media, and corporate work. Where it could be stronger: sticker tuition is $47,750 and average net price is $41,544 - producing a $166,176 four-year total cost. Median debt is $25,000 (manageable thanks to substantial merit aid), but the 0.519 debt-to-earnings ratio still constrains early-career cash flow.
Marist University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $47,750/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $47,750/yr |
| Average net price | $41,544/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $166,176 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $77,819 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $48,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 7.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 79.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,182 |
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: $47,750/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $41,544/year, or roughly $166,176 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 $26,083/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $45,643/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 ($48,200) and comes to 0.52, 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 | $26,083 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $27,200 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $36,178 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $42,001 |
| $110,001+ | $45,643 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 see a net price of $26,083, and $30,001-48,000 pays $27,200. Marist's institutional aid materially helps low-income families - the bottom bracket pays 39% less than the school average. Still, $104,000 over four years against $48,200 in early earnings is a heavy bet that requires the student to graduate (likely at 80%) and ideally land in a higher-earning major.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-75,000 bracket pays $36,178, and $75,001-110,000 pays $42,001. Aid tapers quickly through the middle class. At $144,000-168,000 four-year cost against $77,819 in ten-year median earnings, middle-income families need their student to land in Business, CS, Accounting, or Applied Math for the math to clearly work. Strong merit aid offers can shift the calculus substantially.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $45,643 - essentially full sticker at $182,572 over four years. Marist's growing reputation in IBM-collaboration computer science programs is a real differentiator for the right student.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Marist University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $90,855 | C+ |
| Communication and Media Studies | $74,726 | C |
| Psychology | $62,821 | D |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | $74,534 | C+ |
| Biology | $81,936 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $65,881 | D |
| Computer Science | $111,893 | B |
| Design and Applied Arts | $66,010 | D |
| International Relations | $74,308 | C+ |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $55,296 | D |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
The dominant program with 291 graduates and one-year earnings of $53,766 climbing to $90,855 at four years - a very strong recovery curve. Median debt of $26,000 produces a 0.484 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ grade (the C+ understates this; the 4-year earnings number is excellent). Marist Business has direct pipelines into NYC financial services, Big Four firms, and corporate management training programs.
Computer Science
Forty-seven graduates with one-year earnings of $69,737 and a strong $111,893 at four years. Median debt of $25,897 produces a 0.371 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B grade.
Accounting
Thirty-three graduates with one-year earnings of $71,436 and four-year of $106,313 - excellent outcomes. Median debt of $23,250 (below school median) produces a 0.325 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ grade. Big Four and large regional accounting firms recruit Marist actively. This is the cleanest financial win at Marist on a per-graduate basis.
Communication and Media Studies
Second-largest program at 204 graduates with one-year earnings of $41,818 climbing to $74,726 at four years - a steep recovery curve typical of NYC media careers. Median debt of $26,000 produces a 0.622 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C grade. The Communication program has strong placement into NYC media (advertising, PR, broadcast, digital) and works well for ambitious students; the school average masks substantial variance.
Psychology
Large cohort (125 graduates) with one-year earnings of just $33,491 and four-year of $62,821. Median debt of $25,000 produces a 0.746 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. The four-year earnings recovery (from $33K to $63K) suggests many graduates land in HR, social services, or grad-school-bound roles where earnings build over time.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 81.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 85.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 85.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 87.0% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Marist 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 | 56.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 590-660 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 600-680 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 25-31 |
| Enrollment | 5,182 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 14.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,066 |
Marist admits 56.5% of applicants, putting it in the moderately selective tier. SAT mid-ranges are 590-660 math and 600-680 reading; ACT composite mid-range is 25-31. That preparation level is consistent with the 79.6% completion rate and the strong earnings trajectory: Marist's yielded class is genuinely college-ready, which translates into strong outcomes. Students at or above the 75th percentile typically benefit from generous merit aid.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Marist's 10-year earnings are $77,819.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marist University (this school) | 74 | $41,544 | $77,819 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| University of San Francisco | 80 | $41,431 | $89,812 |
| Providence College | 76 | $48,523 | $87,054 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
| American University | 74 | $41,943 | $77,370 |
Who Thrives Here
Mid-sized private with 5,182 students on a Hudson River campus in Poughkeepsie, 75 miles north of NYC. Pell rate is just 14.5% - a predominantly upper-middle-class student body. Business (291 grads), Communication (204), and Specialized Sales/Marketing (104) are the dominant programs. Athletes and IBM/IT-track students benefit from established corporate pipelines through the Hudson Valley.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Marist University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $41,544 a year after aid ($166,176 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $77,819 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.2 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: its 79.6% graduation rate, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $48,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52, 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.
Marist University: Common Questions
Is Marist University worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Marist University is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 74/100 on our ROI scale. At $41,544 a year after aid ($166,176 over four years) against $77,819 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.2 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Marist 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 $41,544 a year, or roughly $166,176 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 Marist University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $77,819 ten years after enrolling, roughly $36,019 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 Marist 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 7.2 years for Marist University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Marist University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $48,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52. 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 Marist University?
The six-year graduation rate is 79.6%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (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.