Suffolk University
Boston, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit · 82.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 62/100 · Fair Value
Suffolk University earns a Fair Value score of 62 out of 100, a solid result for an urban private with high sticker prices. The strengths are real: median earnings six years out are $43,700, climbing strongly to $67,506 at ten years, generating a 27.4% earnings premium over high-school baseline and an 8.0-year payback period - very competitive for a Boston private. Completion is 60.9% (decent for a non-elite urban university with many transfers and part-timers) and federal repayment runs 72.4% one year out climbing to 78.7% at year seven. The cost story is harder: sticker tuition is $47,550 and the average net price is $29,618 - $118,472 over four years. Median debt of $26,889 produces a 0.615 debt-to-earnings ratio, mid-pack on this metric. What makes the math work is location: Suffolk sits in downtown Boston, embedded in the financial district, with direct pipelines into State Street, Fidelity, Boston accounting firms, biotech, and Massachusetts state government. Students in Business, Finance, Accounting, CS, or IS see meaningfully better outcomes than the school average. The lower-earning liberal arts majors face the same high cost structure with weaker payoff.
Suffolk University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $47,550/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $47,550/yr |
| Average net price | $29,618/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $118,472 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $67,506 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $43,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,889 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $285 |
| Estimated payback period | 8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 60.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,268 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Suffolk University is $47,550/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $29,618/year, or roughly $118,472 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $24,745/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $36,264/year.
The median graduate leaves with $26,889 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $285 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $67,506 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.61 - 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 | $24,745 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $25,711 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $25,702 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $29,654 |
| $110,001+ | $36,264 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $24,745, $30,001-48,000 pay $25,711, and $48,001-75,000 pay $25,702 - very flat across the lower brackets. That flatness indicates a fairly fixed institutional aid formula that does not differentiate much within the bottom three income tiers. Four-year cost of around $100,000 against $43,700 in early earnings is workable if the student lands in Finance, Accounting, CS, or IS.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $75,001-110,000 bracket pays $29,654 - close to the school average. Four-year cost of $118,000+ against $67,506 in ten-year earnings is a moderate-payoff bet that depends heavily on major choice and graduation. For Boston-bound middle-income families with strong Suffolk merit aid, the math improves.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $36,264 - $145,000 over four years. For full-pay families, this is essentially small-private pricing in a market with strong public options (UMass Amherst or UMass Boston deliver competitive outcomes at less than half the cost). Worth weighing against Bentley, Northeastern, BC, or out-of-state public flagships.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Suffolk University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | $71,855 | C |
| Finance and Financial Management | $90,090 | C+ |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | $70,274 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $71,855 | C+ |
| Psychology | $54,117 | D |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $66,709 | C |
| International Relations | $73,484 | C |
| Accounting | $86,396 | C+ |
| Entrepreneurship | $68,752 | C |
| Biology | $67,377 | C |
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.
Finance and Financial Management
Eighty-four graduates with one-year earnings of $55,914 climbing to $90,090 at four years - one of the strongest curves on the Suffolk docket. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.483 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ grade (which understates the program quality). Direct pipelines into State Street, Fidelity, Putnam, and Boston-area asset management firms. The single strongest financial outcome at Suffolk.
Accounting
Forty-five graduates with one-year earnings of $59,704 (the highest 1-year on the list) and $86,396 at four years. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.452 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ grade. Big Four Boston offices and large regional firms (BDO, Grant Thornton) actively recruit Suffolk Accounting. Strong CPA pass rates and a fast track to the 150-credit licensing requirement via Suffolk's MS program.
Marketing
Suffolk's largest program at 97 graduates, with one-year earnings of $44,424 climbing to $71,855 at four years. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.608 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C grade. The Boston advertising and digital marketing ecosystem (HubSpot, agencies, biotech marketing) gives graduates real placement options. Mid-pack ROI but consistent.
Computer Science
Twenty-four graduates with one-year earnings of $60,259 (four-year not reported). Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.448 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B grade - tied for best on the Suffolk list. Boston tech (HubSpot, Wayfair, biotech IT) provides strong placement. Smaller program than the big business majors but the highest per-graduate value.
Psychology
Sixty-one graduates with one-year earnings of $38,020 and four-year of $54,117. Median debt of $27,000 produces a 0.71 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. As at most schools, bachelor's psychology underperforms unless the student continues to graduate work. Suffolk's strong Boston counseling/social-services market gives clinical-track graduates a path, but the bachelor's-only earnings number is structurally weak.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 72.4% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 78.1% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 72.4% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 78.7% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 82.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 540-630 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 550-670 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 24-28 |
| Enrollment | 4,268 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 29.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $12,891 |
Suffolk admits 82.3% of applicants - a fairly broad admissions profile for a Boston-area private. SAT mid-ranges are 540-630 math and 550-670 reading; ACT composite mid-range is 24-28. Those academic bands are meaningfully stronger than the admit rate suggests, reflecting an academically prepared self-selecting urban pool. The 61% completion rate is consistent with the profile - decent but pulled down by transfer students, part-timers, and commuters who comprise a significant share of the student body.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Federal peers include American International College (MA), Amherst College (the Amherst pairing is misleading - that is a top-tier elite liberal arts college with totally different outcomes), Samford University (AL), Aurora University (IL), and Point Loma Nazarene (CA). Of these, Aurora and Point Loma Nazarene are the closest natural comparables - mid-sized urban-region privates with mixed program portfolios. Suffolk's 8.0-year payback and $67,506 ten-year earnings are competitive with this group. Within the Boston market specifically, Suffolk sits below Northeastern (much higher selectivity) and around the same tier as UMass Boston for outcomes, at a higher cost.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk University (this school) | 62 | $29,618 | $67,506 |
| Amherst College | 90 | $23,367 | $77,644 |
| Aurora University | 66 | $18,838 | $58,709 |
| Samford University | 62 | $32,622 | $58,469 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | 62 | $38,729 | $63,998 |
| American International College | 38 | $23,274 | $53,124 |
Who Thrives Here
Mid-sized urban private with 4,268 students embedded in downtown Boston. Pell rate is 30% - notably working-class for a private at this price point. The school fits ambitious students who want a Boston city experience with direct access to financial-services and government work, especially first-generation students using the school as a launchpad into corporate Boston. Strongest pipelines: Marketing (97 graduates), Finance (84), Non-Professional Legal Studies (80), Business Administration (78). The law school connection and the State House proximity make government, legal-services, and policy paths particularly viable.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Suffolk University offers fair financial value, though the ROI depends heavily on individual circumstances. The net cost of $29,618 per year leads to $118,472 over four years, while graduates earn a median of $67,506 a decade out. The payback period of 8 years is about average - not bad, but not a standout either.
Median debt of $26,889 against $67,506 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.