SUNY Old Westbury
Old Westbury, New York · Public · 83.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 71/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
SUNY Old Westbury, a regional public on Long Island, scores 71 (Fair Value tier). The financial setup is excellent: in-state tuition of $8,422, average net price of $11,282, and four-year cost of just $45,128. Average earnings six years out are $37,200, ramping strongly to a median $58,526 by year ten - a 57% increase reflecting graduates capitalizing on the New York metro labor market. Median federal debt is a modest $14,997, producing a 0.40 debt-to-earnings ratio (sub-score 87). Earnings premium of 0.52 (sub-score 91) is excellent and reflects the New York metro wage premium that lifts SUNY graduates. Payback period of 7.9 years (sub-score 77) is genuinely fast. Where the score is dragged down meaningfully: completion rate of 44.6% (sub-score 29) and 64.4% three-year repayment rate (sub-score 25) - both reflect that Old Westbury serves a heavily working-class commuter population (49% Pell) whose persistence is often constrained by life circumstances rather than academic readiness. Completion is the institutional issue, but those who graduate hit the math hard.
SUNY Old Westbury
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,422/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $18,842/yr |
| Average net price | $11,282/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $45,128 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $58,526 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $37,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $14,997 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $159 |
| Estimated payback period | 7.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 44.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,162 |
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: $8,422/year ($18,842/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 $11,282/year, or roughly $45,128 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 $6,645/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,426/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $14,997, which works out to about $159 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($37,200) and comes to 0.40, 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 | $6,645 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,114 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,852 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $15,712 |
| $110,001+ | $20,426 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay just $6,645 net annually, totaling about $26,580 over four years - genuinely transformational pricing. NY state TAP plus Pell covers nearly all of tuition, and many low-income students borrow minimally or not at all.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $13,852 per year, about $55,408 over four years. The aid drop-off is sharper here than at the lowest brackets, but middle-income families still face a manageable cost. Combined with strong post-graduation earnings, this is solid value for working middle-class families.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
High-income families ($110,001+) pay $20,426 per year, totaling $81,704 across four years. Aid grading is reasonable.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at SUNY Old Westbury with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $53,013 | C |
| Accounting | $70,351 | B |
| Biology | $60,351 | C |
| Teacher Education | $57,360 | C |
| Political Science and Government | $52,598 | C+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $59,309 | B |
| Special Education and Teaching | $62,389 | C |
| International Relations | $34,666 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $47,095 | C |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $94,236 | 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.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences graduates 41 students per year with $63,463 in 1-year median earnings, $94,236 at 4 years, $23,500 in median debt, and a 0.37 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B grade. The NYC metro tech labor market drives strong placement, and the 4-year earnings figure approaches six figures. This is one of Old Westbury's clearest ROI wins.
Accounting
Accounting produces 74 graduates with $52,090 starting, $70,351 at 4 years, $19,075 in median debt, and a 0.37 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B grade. Modest debt and strong starting earnings make this one of the cleanest payback profiles at the school.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration produces 53 graduates with $43,204 starting, $59,309 at 4 years, $17,324 in median debt, and a 0.40 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B grade.
Psychology
Psychology produces 93 graduates - the school's largest cohort - with $31,000 starting, $53,013 at 4 years, $18,394 in median debt, and a 0.59 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C grade. The 4-year earnings ramp suggests graduates pursuing master's-level licensure see meaningful wage growth. Undergraduate-only psychology graduates face tighter math; graduate study is the typical pathway.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education produces 65 graduates with $33,561 starting, $57,360 at 4 years, $23,250 in median debt, and a 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C grade. NY teacher salaries are high, and the strong 4-year earnings figure reflects graduates entering Long Island and NYC public school systems. Mission-aligned and financially defensible at SUNY pricing.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 57.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 64.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 53.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 58.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How SUNY Old Westbury’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 | 83.6% |
| Enrollment | 4,162 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 49.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,290 |
SUNY Old Westbury admits 83.6% of applicants. SAT and ACT data are not reported in current Scorecard data, suggesting the campus is largely test-optional or that test-submitters are too few to publish reliable mid-ranges. The 44.6% completion rate is the central story: open-access admissions plus a working-class commuter population produce significant attrition, but graduates outperform the academic profile would predict in earnings.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUNY Old Westbury (this school) | 71 | $11,282 | $58,526 |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | 92 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| CUNY Brooklyn College | 81 | $3,103 | $60,752 |
| University of Mary Washington | 71 | $20,667 | $60,613 |
| University of Arkansas Grantham | 69 | $8,370 | $63,496 |
| University of Wisconsin-River Falls | 66 | $14,054 | $54,458 |
Who Thrives Here
Pell rate of 49.3% indicates a heavily working-class student body. Enrollment of 4,162 puts it in the mid-size regional range. The fit case is strongest for students targeting accounting, computer science, or finance - programs where the school posts B-grade ROI and the metro labor market drives strong outcomes. The 44.6% completion rate is real; students should plan structured pathways and commit to finishing.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
SUNY Old Westbury is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $11,282 a year after aid ($45,128 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $58,526 a decade out, the cost takes about 7.9 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates, manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: its 44.6% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 64.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $14,997 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $37,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40, 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.
SUNY Old Westbury: Common Questions
Is SUNY Old Westbury worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether SUNY Old Westbury is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 71/100 on our ROI scale. At $11,282 a year after aid ($45,128 over four years) against $58,526 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 7.9 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does SUNY Old Westbury 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 $11,282 a year, or roughly $45,128 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 Old Westbury graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $58,526 ten years after enrolling, roughly $16,726 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 Old Westbury?
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 7.9 years for SUNY Old Westbury. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do SUNY Old Westbury graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $14,997, against average earnings of $37,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40. 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 SUNY Old Westbury?
The six-year graduation rate is 44.6%. 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.