Pace University
New York, New York · Private Nonprofit · 75.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 68/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Pace University scores 68/100 (Fair Value). Drivers: a 7.5-year payback period (80/100, the page's strongest sub-score), a 0.491 debt-to-earnings ratio (75/100), and 60% completion rate. The NYC location is the engine - graduates land in finance, accounting, tech, and nursing roles at metro-area employers, producing $47,400 in 6-year earnings and a remarkable $70,378 by year 10. Sticker tuition is steep at $53,290 with a $30,892 net price (42% discount), and four-year total cost runs $123,568. Median debt is $23,250, below the four-year cost level, indicating Pace's institutional aid does substantial work. Pell rate is 27.3% on 7,665 students, suggesting an upper-middle-income lean. The school's program data shows the typical bimodal pattern: nursing, accounting, CS, finance produce B/B+ grades; arts (film, dance, drama, fine arts) produce Fs. Pace's value proposition is the NYC pipeline.
Pace University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $53,290/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $53,290/yr |
| Average net price | $30,892/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $123,568 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $70,378 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $47,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $246 |
| Estimated payback period | 7.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 60.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,665 |
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: $53,290/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $30,892/year, or roughly $123,568 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 $26,473/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $36,430/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,250, which works out to about $246 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($47,400) and comes to 0.49, 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 | $26,473 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $26,362 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $28,467 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $31,219 |
| $110,001+ | $36,430 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $26,473 net, with a mild inversion: $30,001-$48,000 pays slightly less at $26,362. Heavy aid layering reduces cash debt to $23,250 median, and the NYC earnings premium ($70,378 at 10 years) makes the math workable for completers in higher-earning majors. Bottom-of-pyramid admits face the steepest completion risk.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households earning $48,001-$75,000 pay $28,467 and $75,001-$110,000 pay $31,219 net. Middle-income four-year cost of $113,868 to $124,876 against $70,378 in 10-year earnings is workable in business, accounting, CS, and nursing.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $36,430 net, or $145,720 over four years. Full-pay families paying this much should evaluate the NYC career pipeline carefully; Pace's outcomes justify the premium for finance, accounting, CS, and nursing students but not for humanities or arts students.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Pace University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $115,695 | B+ |
| Communication and Media Studies | $69,876 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $76,974 | D |
| Finance and Financial Management | $92,271 | B |
| Accounting | $100,797 | B |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $52,368 | F |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $79,376 | C |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | $62,064 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $63,514 | C |
| Computer Science | $117,835 | B+ |
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
Nursing is Pace's flagship economic engine: 218 graduates, $107,433 first-year earnings rising to $115,695 by year four, $27,000 debt and a 0.251 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B+ grade. NYC metro hospital pay scales drive strong wage outcomes. This single program substantially anchors the school's ROI.
Computer Science
Computer Science graduates 63 students with $60,551 first-year and a dramatic $117,835 four-year earnings figure against just $20,750 debt for a 0.343 debt-to-earnings ratio and B+ grade. The earnings trajectory reflects NYC tech-sector placement at financial-services tech roles and consulting firms.
Accounting
Accounting produces 78 graduates with $69,166 first-year and $100,797 four-year earnings against $26,000 debt for a 0.376 debt-to-earnings ratio and B grade. Pace's Lubin School of Business is well-positioned for Big Four placement, driving the strong outcomes. Among the school's most defensible majors for prepared students.
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Film and Photography produces 77 graduates with $20,775 first-year and $52,368 four-year earnings against $25,238 debt for a 1.215 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade. NYC freelance and gig markets explain the year-4 earnings jump, but the median outcome is rough.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Drama produces 59 graduates with just $16,659 first-year and $37,213 four-year earnings against $27,000 debt for a 1.621 debt-to-earnings ratio - one of the worst on the page. Theatre at this debt level only works for students committed to MFA-track training as a path to professional theatre work; for everyone else, this is a weak financial decision.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 66.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 73.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 69.9% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 76.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Pace 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 | 75.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 580-660 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 600-680 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 24-29 |
| Enrollment | 7,665 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 27.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $12,908 |
Pace admits 75.9% of applicants with SAT mid-ranges of 580-660 math and 600-680 reading, and ACT mid-range 24-29. These ranges are above national medians, signaling a meaningfully selective profile that produces a 60% completion rate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pace University (this school) | 68 | $30,892 | $70,378 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
| University of Denver | 71 | $36,131 | $71,155 |
| Bellevue University | 65 | $17,550 | $61,289 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global | 61 | $16,898 | $59,986 |
Who Thrives Here
Pace fits students committed to building careers in NYC (especially finance, accounting, nursing, tech, or law), able to absorb $30,892 in annual net price, and willing to leverage the school's downtown Manhattan and Westchester campus locations. With 7,665 students and 27.3% Pell, the school skews upper-middle-income. NYC-bound students in business or finance majors get a real economic case. Students in arts, literature, or humanities should run major-specific math: those programs produce F grades despite the institutional brand.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Pace University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $30,892 a year after aid ($123,568 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $70,378 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.5 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: manageable debt relative to earnings.
Median debt of $23,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $47,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49, 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.
Pace University: Common Questions
Is Pace University worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Pace University is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 68/100 on our ROI scale. At $30,892 a year after aid ($123,568 over four years) against $70,378 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.5 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Pace 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 $30,892 a year, or roughly $123,568 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 Pace University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $70,378 ten years after enrolling, roughly $28,578 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 Pace 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 7.5 years for Pace University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Pace University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,250, against average earnings of $47,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49. 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 Pace University?
The six-year graduation rate is 60.0%. 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.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.