SUNY at Purchase College
Purchase, New York · Public · 74.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 33/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
SUNY Purchase posts a 33/100 ROI score in our framework, landing in Below Benchmark tier despite a respectable 62.8% completion rate and modest in-state tuition of $8,953. The mismatch is structural: Purchase is a public arts-and-humanities-focused liberal arts college, with its largest programs concentrated in Drama, Film, Music, Fine Arts, and Visual & Performing Arts - fields where median first-year earnings of $12,000-$22,000 are common. That program mix drags the school's overall average earnings to $31,300 six years out. Median debt of $21,067 against those earnings produces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67, and the payback period of 21.4 years reflects how long earnings premium over high-school graduates needs to compound to recoup costs. The 35.5% Pell rate and three-year repayment rate of 65.6% paint a population that's borrowing through but not repaying quickly. SUNY Purchase's value depends almost entirely on the major a student picks - and the program data below shows huge variance.
How SUNY at Purchase 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 Score33/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period21.4 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
SUNY at Purchase College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,953/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $19,203/yr |
| Average net price | $18,913/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $75,652 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $45,092 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,067 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $223 |
| Estimated payback period | 21.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 62.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,197 |
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: $8,953/year ($19,203/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $18,913/year, or roughly $75,652 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 $11,835/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,428/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,067, which works out to about $223 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($31,300) and comes to 0.67, 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 | $11,835 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,230 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,658 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,886 |
| $110,001+ | $25,428 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $11,835 net - a strong number reflecting Pell, NY State TAP, and SUNY's institutional aid. Across four years that's $47,340, the most defensible bracket here. Combined with the $21,067 median debt, this group can finish without heavy borrowing if they choose a market-aligned major.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001 - $48,000 bracket pays $15,230, the $48,001 - $75,000 bracket pays $19,658, and the $75,001 - $110,000 bracket pays $20,886 - a clean monotonic progression with no inversion. Middle-income families pay $61,000-$83,000 over four years against $31,300 graduate earnings; the math works only with a marketable major and minimal supplemental borrowing.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $110,001-plus bracket pays $25,428 - over $101,000 across four years, more than the published $75,652 total cost figure, suggesting the bracket includes families paying full out-of-state-equivalent room and board. High-income families paying full freight for an arts-heavy SUNY are buying location and program specialization, not financial return.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at SUNY at Purchase College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $39,974 | F |
| Psychology | $47,022 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $46,596 | D |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $14,984 | F |
| Music | $41,926 | F |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | $51,954 | F |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $43,265 | F |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $47,922 | D |
| Dance | $30,406 | F |
| Visual and Performing Arts | $39,791 | F |
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.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Purchase's largest program by graduates (139) is also one of its weakest financially. Median first-year earnings of $18,090 against a $26,000 median debt yields a 1.44 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. Four-year earnings climb to $39,974. Purchase's drama program is well-respected within the theater world; students who pursue it should expect a long financial runway, supplemental income work, and major non-financial returns from the training itself.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 61 students annually, second-largest at Purchase. First-year earnings of $27,838 climb to $47,022 by year four, with median debt of $24,250 producing a 0.87 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). Psychology majors who plan to stop at the bachelor's face a soft labor market; those who continue to graduate work in counseling, clinical psych, or social work see materially better long-run outcomes - but those programs add their own debt loads.
Fine and Studio Arts
Fine Arts graduates 50 students, with first-year earnings of $14,984 against $23,850 median debt yielding a 1.59 debt-to-earnings ratio and a clear F ROI grade. Four-year earnings data is missing, suggesting graduates are highly dispersed across freelance, gig, and part-time roles. Purchase's MFA-feeder reputation is real, but undergrad-only paths in this field rarely pencil financially without significant family support or career pivot.
Music
Music's 49 graduates earn $17,887 first-year and $41,926 by year four against $22,179 median debt - a 1.24 debt-to-earnings ratio and F ROI grade. Purchase's conservatory reputation in jazz and classical is strong, and the four-year earnings figure shows real recovery for graduates who stay in the field through gigging, teaching, and mixed careers.
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
Arts Management graduates 48 students with first-year earnings of $18,079 climbing to $51,954 by year four - one of the steeper recovery curves in Purchase's arts cluster. Median debt of $22,418 still produces a 1.24 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F grade in the early years. This program effectively prepares administrators for the same arts industries graduating from Drama, Music, and Fine Arts programs at Purchase - and the four-year earnings show that operational roles pay better than performance roles.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 59.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 65.6% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 71.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 72.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How SUNY at Purchase 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 | 74.1% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 565-670 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 620-710 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 27-30 |
| Enrollment | 3,197 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 35.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,079 |
Purchase admits 74.1% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 565-670 (math) and 620-710 (reading) and the ACT range is 27-30. Many arts programs require auditions or portfolio review beyond the academic admit, which lifts effective selectivity in those tracks. The 62.8% completion rate suggests admit standards are reasonably matched to retention, though attrition still affects nearly 4 in 10 students.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUNY at Purchase College (this school) | 33 | $18,913 | $45,092 |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | 92 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| CUNY Brooklyn College | 81 | $3,103 | $60,752 |
| Montana State University Billings | 34 | $16,524 | $44,296 |
| Fort Lewis College | 33 | $17,296 | $46,349 |
| University of South Carolina Aiken | 33 | $11,641 | $45,603 |
Who Thrives Here
Purchase fits students committed to performing or visual arts who explicitly accept lower early-career earnings as part of their path. With 3,197 students, a 35.5% Pell rate, and a New York metro location, the campus is small, working-to-middle-class, and culturally connected. Outcomes look strong for the small cohorts in Math/Stats ($72,237 four-year earnings) and Economics ($63,207), and acceptable for Sociology and Biology - but for the 139 Drama, 47 Film, 50 Fine Arts, and 49 Music graduates, debt-to-earnings ratios above 1.2 are the norm. Choose a major before choosing Purchase.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, SUNY at Purchase College scores 33/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $18,913 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $45,092 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 21.4 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, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 65.6% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,067 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $31,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67. 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.
SUNY at Purchase College: Common Questions
Is SUNY at Purchase College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. SUNY at Purchase College scores 33/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $18,913 a year after aid against $45,092 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 21.4 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does SUNY at Purchase 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 $18,913 a year, or roughly $75,652 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 SUNY at Purchase College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $45,092 ten years after enrolling, roughly $3,292 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 SUNY at Purchase 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 21.4 years for SUNY at Purchase College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do SUNY at Purchase College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,067, against average earnings of $31,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67. 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 SUNY at Purchase College?
The six-year graduation rate is 62.8%. 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.