Marymount Manhattan College
New York, New York · Private Nonprofit · 82.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 24/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Marymount Manhattan College in New York City scores ROI 24 (Below Benchmark) - a small private liberal arts school with 1,577 undergraduates on the Upper East Side. The school's fundamental problem: a $36,861 average net price (near full sticker for most income levels) against average 6-year earnings of $34,000. That means many students are paying for school what they will earn annually six years after graduation - and the payback period of 20.3 years confirms the slow return. Drama/Theatre Arts is the largest program with 125 graduates per year; their median 1-year earnings of $19,562 produce a 1.38 debt-to-earnings ratio (F grade). Dance (38 graduates), Film/Video (30 graduates), and Communication (30 graduates) all post F-grade ROI ratios. Business Administration (13 graduates, B grade) is the one program with defensible ROI. Completion at 49% leaves half of enrolled students without a degree. The repayment rate of 64.1% signals significant loan distress in the graduate population.
How Marymount Manhattan College 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 Score24/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period20.3 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Marymount Manhattan College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $41,870/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $41,870/yr |
| Average net price | $36,861/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $147,444 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $49,131 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $273 |
| Estimated payback period | 20.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 49.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,577 |
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: $41,870/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $36,861/year, or roughly $147,444 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 $30,722/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $42,217/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,750, which works out to about $273 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($34,000) and comes to 0.76, 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 | $30,722 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $30,626 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $32,459 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $34,872 |
| $110,001+ | $42,217 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $30,722 per year. This school charges low-income families more than $20,000 per year, placing enormous burden on Pell recipients. Over four years that is roughly $122,888. Against $34,000 average 6-year earnings and a 49% completion rate, low-income students at MMC face a precarious financial situation. The school's location in Manhattan does not compensate for this pricing structure at these income levels.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 30,001-48,000 bracket pays $30,626 - essentially the same as the lowest bracket, meaning aid design provides almost no benefit for moving from $25,000 to $40,000 in family income. The 48,001-75,000 bracket rises to $32,459, and the 75,001-110,000 bracket climbs to $34,872. Cost stays nearly flat across the entire income range - MMC's aid structure is minimally income-sensitive, which effectively prices out lower-middle-income families despite any aid intent.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $42,217 per year - close to full sticker. Over four years that is roughly $168,868. Against median 10-year earnings of $49,131, high-income families considering MMC for performing arts are making a consumption choice about NYC arts training, not a financial investment decision. The data does not support this cost level on ROI grounds.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Marymount Manhattan College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $40,086 | F |
| Dance | $38,227 | F |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $55,285 | F |
| Communication and Media Studies | $62,844 | F |
| Psychology | $55,226 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $51,287 | B |
| Marketing | $48,403 | - |
| Design and Applied Arts | $48,393 | - |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $41,696 | C |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | $28,160 | 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
Business Administration is MMC's only program with defensible ROI, at 13 graduates per year. The 4-year median earnings of $51,287 (1-year not reported) and 0.434 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade B) with $22,250 median debt represent a functional, if small, pipeline into Manhattan's business sector. The cohort of 13 is very small - individual outcomes vary considerably at this scale.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Drama is MMC's largest program by graduate count at 125 students annually. Median 1-year earnings of $19,562 against $27,000 median debt produces a 1.38 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade F). This is a clear financial risk signal. Theatre arts careers - acting, directing, stage management - in New York City are characterized by irregular income, high competition, and slow earnings growth. The 4-year median earnings of $40,086 show modest improvement but remain below the school's debt level at graduation. Students entering this program should plan for supplemental income through food service, administrative work, or related creative fields while building their careers.
Psychology
Psychology produces 16 graduates per year with median 1-year earnings of $34,585 and 4-year earnings of $55,226. The 0.723 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade D) reflects the gap between psychology bachelor's earnings and the private school cost. Psychology at MMC serves students who want a liberal arts credential in New York with plans for graduate school in clinical psychology, social work, or counseling. The 4-year earnings of $55,226 may reflect some graduate degree attainment in the cohort.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 62.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 64.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 67.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Marymount Manhattan College’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 | 82.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 520-650 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 585-673 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 24-27 |
| Enrollment | 1,577 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 28.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,703 |
MMC admits 82.6% of applicants. SAT Math 520-650, Reading 585-673; ACT 24-27. The school occupies a specific niche: performing arts training in New York City.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The school's New York City location creates genuine non-financial value for performing arts students - proximity to auditions, industry connections, and professional training - but that value is not measured by Scorecard earnings and does not change the debt burden.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marymount Manhattan College (this school) | 24 | $36,861 | $49,131 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
| University of Bridgeport | 27 | $27,807 | $50,323 |
| Atlantic University | 26 | $6,425 | $25,272 |
| Lindsey Wilson College | 23 | $15,070 | $41,129 |
Who Thrives Here
Marymount Manhattan serves performing arts students who prioritize New York City access and studio training over financial return. SAT Math 520-650, Reading 585-673; ACT 24-27. With 28.4% Pell recipients, a substantial share of students comes from families who cannot easily absorb $36,861/year in costs. The 49% completion rate and 64.1% repayment rate are both signals that a large portion of the student body is financially stressed. Students who pursue Business Administration at MMC have a different outcome trajectory than performing arts majors.
The Verdict, Historically: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Marymount Manhattan College merged into Northeastern University in July 2026. The assessment below describes how this school performed while it was operating, and is not a recommendation about where to enroll now.
Under our methodology, Marymount Manhattan College scores 24/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $36,861 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $49,131 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 20.3 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 49.0% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 64.1% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,750 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $34,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Marymount Manhattan College: Common Questions
Is Marymount Manhattan College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Marymount Manhattan College scores 24/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $36,861 a year after aid against $49,131 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 20.3 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Marymount Manhattan College 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 $36,861 a year, or roughly $147,444 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 Marymount Manhattan College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $49,131 ten years after enrolling, roughly $7,331 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 Marymount Manhattan College?
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 20.3 years for Marymount Manhattan College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Marymount Manhattan College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,750, against average earnings of $34,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Marymount Manhattan College?
The six-year graduation rate is 49.0%. 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.