Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science
Paul Smiths, New York · Private Nonprofit · 76.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 30/100 · Poor Value
Paul Smith's College earns a 30 ROI score in the Poor Value tier, but the headline numbers conceal a more nuanced story: this is a specialty institution focused on forestry, environmental science, and culinary arts in the Adirondacks, where graduates often choose mission-driven careers in conservation and land management rather than optimizing for income. Tuition is $33,009, net price after aid is $26,683, and four-year total cost runs $106,732. Median earnings ten years out are just $46,145 — modest, but typical of natural-resources fields. The earnings premium of 0.104 and 22.1-year payback are the weak spots; the bright spot is repayment, where 81.6% of borrowers are paying down loans on schedule (scoring 75/100) despite modest earnings. Median debt is $22,750, fairly contained. Completion is 50.6% — average. This is a case where the ROI score honestly reflects weak earnings outcomes, but the qualitative story — strong field-program reputation, vocational fit for outdoor careers — adds context the numbers can't capture.
The data raises concerns about Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score30/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period22.1 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $33,009/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $33,009/yr |
| Average net price | $26,683/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $106,732 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,145 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $241 |
| Estimated payback period | 22.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 50.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 579 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science is $33,009/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $26,683/year, or roughly $106,732 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $16,732/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $32,048/year.
The median graduate leaves with $22,750 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $241 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $46,145 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.73 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $16,732 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,877 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $23,253 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $29,288 |
| $110,001+ | $32,048 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $16,732 — meaningfully discounted from the $26,683 average net price. Combined with New York TAP and federal Pell, lower-income students can make the math work, especially if they pursue forestry or natural-resources careers with later access to PSLF through federal or state employment.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $23,253 and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $29,288 — climbing steeply through middle-income tiers. At $93,000-$117,000 in four-year totals against $46,145 ten-year earnings, the conventional ROI math is genuinely tough for this income range. Mission fit needs to do real work.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $32,048 — within $1,000 of the $33,009 sticker. At full freight, this only makes sense for families specifically choosing the niche outdoor-program identity. Conventional ROI is severely negative at this income tier.
Earnings by Major
Top 8 most popular majors at Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | $53,788 | C |
| Forestry | $49,291 | - |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | $50,171 | C |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | $42,652 | D |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | $41,797 | D |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $51,359 | D |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $46,834 | - |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management | $34,321 | - |
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.
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
Environmental management is the largest program at 22 graduates with first-year earnings of $41,863 climbing to $53,788, against $27,000 in debt — a C grade and 0.645 ratio. This is the strongest financial outcome among Paul Smith's natural-resources programs and the realistic best-case fit: a federal or state agency career in conservation policy or natural-resource regulation, where PSLF is available.
Forestry
Forestry produced 19 graduates with first-year earnings of $44,342 — the campus's highest entry-level number. Median debt is unreported. This is Paul Smith's flagship identity program with strong industry reputation in the Northeast forest-products and land-management sectors. Graduates routinely place into state DEC roles, paper-company foresters, and consulting forestry — modest pay but durable careers.
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
Wildlife management graduated 19 with first-year earnings of $35,979 and $24,874 in debt — a C grade and 0.691 ratio. The four-year earnings of $50,171 indicate slow but steady growth. This is field-biologist territory: state fish-and-wildlife agencies, federal land-management positions, NGO conservation work. Pay is modest by design, but mission fit is high.
Culinary Arts and Related Services
Culinary produced 12 graduates with first-year earnings of $31,506 against $27,000 in debt — a 0.857 ratio and D grade. This is a tough financial profile: the culinary industry pays poorly entry-level, and Paul Smith's culinary tuition isn't meaningfully cheaper than the CIA's. Students choosing culinary here should plan on owner-operator or hospitality-management pathways rather than line-cook trajectories.
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies
Parks/Rec produced 11 with first-year earnings of $27,543 against $23,250 in debt — a 0.844 ratio and D grade. The four-year figure rises to $41,797, suggesting career growth. Federal NPS, state-parks, and outdoor-rec employers offer durable but capped pay. This program's value is mission-driven and only works at the lower-income net-price brackets.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 82.4% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 81.6% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 71.7% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 75.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 76.5% |
| Enrollment | 579 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 36.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,551 |
Paul Smith's admits 76.5% of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported, suggesting test-optional admissions are the norm here, with applications evaluated more on mission fit, outdoor-experience essays, and program-specific aptitude than standardized scores. The relatively high admit rate combined with a niche outdoor curriculum filters the applicant pool effectively — students who apply tend to self-select for the unusual mission, which helps explain why the 50.6% completion rate isn't worse despite broad admissions.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The assigned peer set — Adelphi, Albany College of Pharmacy, Calumet College of Saint Joseph, Rosemont, and Drury Continuing Studies — is a poor match for Paul Smith's actual identity. Albany Pharmacy is a far stronger ROI institution serving pre-pharmacy and health-sciences students; Adelphi is a much larger comprehensive university; Calumet and Rosemont are urban Catholic colleges. Better natural peers would be Sterling College (VT), Unity Environmental University, or SUNY ESF — programs with similar outdoor-mission DNA. Within the assigned peer set, Paul Smith's 30 ROI is well below all of them.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science (this school) | 30 | $26,683 | $46,145 |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 94 | $29,882 | $131,426 |
| Adelphi University | 75 | $30,783 | $75,482 |
| Rosemont College | 33 | $20,150 | $48,555 |
| Calumet College of Saint Joseph | 29 | $22,451 | $46,945 |
| Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies | 24 | $10,566 | $40,694 |
Who Thrives Here
With 579 students and a 36.3% Pell rate, Paul Smith's serves a mix of working- and middle-class students drawn by the Adirondack setting and field-based curriculum. Strong fit for prospective foresters, fisheries biologists, park rangers, and culinary professionals who want hands-on training in the woods. Bad fit for students who need urban amenities, broad academic options, or strong earnings as the primary outcome. The 81.6% one-year repayment rate suggests graduates are at least staying employed and paying their loans, even at modest salaries.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science. With a net cost of $26,683 per year and median graduate earnings of only $46,145 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 22.1 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Key strengths include high loan repayment success. However, the data also shows weak earnings relative to cost and a 50.5% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and a long payback period.
Median debt of $22,750 against $46,145 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.