New York University
New York, New York · Private Nonprofit · 9.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 84/100 · Strong Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
New York University scores 84 (Strong Value) on the CampusROI scale, driven primarily by strong earnings outcomes and an 87.6% completion rate. At $62,796 sticker tuition and $37,050 net price, NYU is expensive, but the 6.1-year payback period reflects the outsized earning power of the New York City labor market. Average 6-year earnings of $55,900 and median 10-year earnings of $82,509 are strong for a large private university with a diverse program mix that includes significant arts and humanities enrollment. Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (245 graduates, $102,572 year-one, $158,559 four-year, A-grade) and Computer and Information Sciences (573 graduates, $87,608 year-one, A-grade) lead the top tier. Registered Nursing (437 graduates, $111,360 year-one, A-grade) is the strongest single-year earner. Economics (540 graduates, $68,495 year-one, B+ grade), Business Administration (414 graduates, $77,828 year-one, B+ grade), and Real Estate (65 graduates, $130,716 four-year, B+ grade) form a strong business cluster. Drama (421 graduates, $20,916 year-one, F-grade) and Film/Video (446 graduates, $23,869 year-one, D-grade) are the high-volume lower-earners that reflect NYU's arts identity.
The median graduate earns $82,509 ten years after entry - well above the roughly $53,600 median across the schools we score.
New York University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $62,796/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $62,796/yr |
| Average net price | $37,050/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $148,200 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $82,509 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $55,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $217 |
| Estimated payback period | 6.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 87.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 28,663 |
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: $62,796/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $37,050/year, or roughly $148,200 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 $16,977/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $66,876/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,500, which works out to about $217 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($55,900) and comes to 0.37, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $16,977 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,017 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,862 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $32,766 |
| $110,001+ | $66,876 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students from the 0-30000 bracket pay $16,977 per year - $67,908 over four years. Management Sciences graduates earning $102,572 year-one recover the entire four-year investment in under nine months. CS and nursing completers have similarly fast paybacks. NYU's low-income aid model makes high-earning programs genuinely accessible for students who gain admission.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $16,862 per year - notably similar to the lowest-income bracket, reflecting NYU's aid formula. The 75001-110000 bracket pays $32,766, a significant jump. Middle-income families should model actual aid awards carefully - the formula's inflection point between $48,000 and $75,000 can affect financial planning significantly depending on household income.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $66,876 per year - $267,504 over four years. At near-full-pay price, arts and humanities programs rest most heavily on post-graduation earnings. For business, STEM, and nursing, the earnings trajectory from NYU's New York City location and brand is defensible at full price.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at New York University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $142,495 | A |
| Economics | $116,510 | B+ |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $66,502 | C |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $63,315 | C |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $58,720 | D |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $77,109 | C+ |
| Registered Nursing | $118,433 | A |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $42,348 | F |
| Business Administration and Management | $137,804 | B+ |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $158,559 | A |
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.
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (245 graduates) earns $102,572 at year one and $158,559 at year four with $17,250 median debt and a 0.168 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade A). This Stern School program - effectively quantitative finance and business analytics - delivers the strongest four-year earnings in NYU's portfolio. Graduates enter quantitative trading, consulting, and financial technology roles in New York. At $17,250 debt, this is an A-grade outcome by any metric.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences (573 graduates) earns $87,608 at year one and $142,495 at year four with $19,734 median debt and a 0.225 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade A). CS at NYU feeds directly into New York's technology sector and the national software industry. Year-four earnings are $142,495.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing (437 graduates) earns $111,360 at year one and $118,433 at year four with $25,500 median debt and a 0.229 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade A). NYU nursing graduates enter the New York metropolitan healthcare market at strong wages. At $25,500 median debt, the payback is under three months of post-graduation employment.
Economics
Economics (540 graduates) earns $68,495 at year one and $116,510 at year four with $21,250 median debt and a 0.310 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade B+). Economics at NYU - particularly the College of Arts and Science track feeding into finance and consulting - delivers strong four-year earnings.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Drama (421 graduates) earns $20,916 at year one and $42,348 at year four with $21,762 median debt and a 1.040 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade F). The F-grade is a financial statement, not a quality statement. NYU drama graduates enter professional performance careers with real New York City industry access - the earnings structure of that career path does not appear in Scorecard six-year windows.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 80.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 82.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 81.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 84.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How New York 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 | 9.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 760-800 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 720-760 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 34-35 |
| Enrollment | 28,663 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 17.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $18,026 |
NYU admits 9.23% of applicants. SAT Math 760-800 and Reading 720-760, ACT 34-35 describe the middle half of the admitted class. The $37,050 net price, while high in absolute terms, is significantly below sticker for many students. NYU's financial aid has historically been criticized for leaving students with high debt - the $20,500 median debt is actually modest, suggesting more grant than loan allocation than the sticker price implies.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York University (this school) | 84 | $37,050 | $82,509 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| University of Southern California | 91 | $32,740 | $92,498 |
| Northeastern University | 91 | $30,915 | $92,538 |
| Boston University | 90 | $24,402 | $83,238 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See New York University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
NYU enrolls 28,663 undergraduates across New York City campuses. The 9.23% admission rate places it in the selective tier. SAT mid-ranges are 760-800 Math and 720-760 Reading; ACT 34-35. The 17.9% Pell rate reflects NYU's commitment to access alongside its high sticker price. Students who are competitive for NYU admission and focused on business, STEM, healthcare, or law will find one of the most powerful job market locations in the world. Students drawn to arts and film - NYU's historic strength - must model the earnings data honestly before committing.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
For most students, New York University pays off. You'd pay about $37,050 a year after aid ($148,200 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $82,509 ten years after enrollment. That puts the payback - the time it takes for the earnings bump to cover what you spent - at roughly 6.1 years, a solid return.
What it has going for it: its 87.6% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $20,500 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $55,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37, 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.
New York University: Common Questions
Is New York University worth it?
In our view, yes - for most students New York University pays off. It scores 84/100 on our ROI scale. You'd pay about $37,050 a year after aid ($148,200 over four years), and the typical graduate earns $82,509 ten years after enrollment, so the cost takes roughly 6.1 years to earn back.
How much does New York 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 $37,050 a year, or roughly $148,200 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 New York University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $82,509 ten years after enrolling, roughly $40,709 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 New York 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 6.1 years for New York University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do New York University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,500, against average earnings of $55,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37. 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 New York University?
The six-year graduation rate is 87.6%, 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.