United Talmudical Seminary
Brooklyn, New York · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 36/100 · Poor Value
United Talmudical Seminary is a religious institution in Brooklyn serving the Hasidic Jewish community, and standard ROI analysis applies awkwardly here because the school's mission is religious formation rather than secular labor-market preparation. The CampusROI score of 36 (Poor Value) reflects this mismatch: 10-year median earnings of $25,113 produce a -37.2% earnings premium versus the high-school baseline (sub-score 1) and a 999-year payback period (sub-score 7) -- meaning earnings, by the model's calculation, never recoup the cost of attendance. However, the debt-to-earnings ratio sub-score of 100 reflects the fact that median debt at graduation is reported as null/zero, because students at religious seminaries typically do not borrow federal funds. Sticker tuition is $15,000, average net price is $6,640, and four-year total cost is roughly $26,560. Completion is 58.1%, which is reasonable. The honest read: this institution is best understood as a religious credential-granting body, not a secular ROI proposition. Graduates typically pursue religious vocations (rabbinical study, community leadership, education within Hasidic institutions) where compensation is community-based rather than market-rate. Standard ROI metrics fundamentally misframe the value being delivered.
The data raises concerns about United Talmudical Seminary
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score36/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
United Talmudical Seminary
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $15,000/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $15,000/yr |
| Average net price | $6,640/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $26,560 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $25,113 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $16,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | N/A |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $0 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 58.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,241 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at United Talmudical Seminary is $15,000/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $6,640/year, or roughly $26,560 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $6,446/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
The median graduate leaves with N/A in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $0 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $25,113 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.00 - well within manageable territory.
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 | $6,446 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $6,478 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $7,771 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $9,644 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $6,446 net annually, slightly below the $30,001-$48,000 bracket's $6,478 -- the costs are essentially flat across the lowest income tiers. Over four years that is roughly $26,000 of cost. Given that the student body is 87.4% Pell-eligible, this is the dominant economic profile at UTS, and the low absolute cost combined with no reported debt means students leave without financial obligation -- which is the metric that actually matters in this community context.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households at $48,001-$75,000 pay $7,771 and $75,001-$110,000 pays $9,644 -- still very low absolute prices ($31,000-$39,000 over four years). Middle-income enrollment is rare here given the overwhelming Pell concentration, but the cost remains modest by any measure.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $110,001-plus bracket has no reported net price, suggesting effectively no high-income enrollment, which is consistent with the school's community demographics. This is not an institution where high-income family ROI math is a relevant analysis.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at United Talmudical Seminary with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Religion/Religious Studies | $18,837 | - |
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.
Religion/Religious Studies
Religion/Religious Studies is United Talmudical Seminary's sole reported program, with 369 graduates per year. Median first-year earnings are $17,779 and four-year earnings $18,837, with debt and ROI grade unreported (the institution does not heavily participate in federal student loan programs). Career paths are religious vocational: rabbinical study, religious teaching within Hasidic schools, kollel-style learning, and community leadership. Standard secular earnings metrics underweight non-monetary compensation (housing, community support) that defines this vocational track.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | N/A | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | N/A | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 2,241 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 87.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $4,005 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, which is consistent with religious seminary admissions practices that are based on community membership and religious preparation rather than competitive academic metrics. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are likewise unreported. Selectivity in the standard sense is not the relevant frame here.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The CampusROI peer set includes Adelphi University (NY), Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Mercyhurst University (PA), William Carey University (MS), and Eastern University (PA). None of these are clean comps -- they are all secular or Christian institutions with conventional career-track student bodies. Other Hasidic and Talmudic seminaries in the New York area (Beth Hatalmud, Beth Medrash Govoha) would be the only honest comparison set, and Hampton Sydney's outcome data should not be read against secular peers.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Talmudical Seminary (this school) | 36 | $6,640 | $25,113 |
| Yeshiva of Nitra Rabbinical College | 39 | $10,880 | $41,785 |
| Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel | 39 | $4,156 | $31,853 |
| Talmudical Seminary Oholei Torah | 35 | $10,755 | $39,230 |
| Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary | 33 | $3,822 | $36,442 |
| Talmudical Seminary of Bobov | 30 | $2,840 | $22,432 |
Who Thrives Here
With 2,241 students and an extraordinarily high 87.4% Pell rate, UTS serves an overwhelmingly low-income, religiously homogenous community. The single reported program is Religion/Religious Studies (369 graduates per year, $18,837 four-year earnings), which functions as the school's entire academic mission. Students fit here based on religious identity and community ties, not on labor-market criteria; secular ROI analysis does not capture the institution's actual purpose.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about United Talmudical Seminary. With a net cost of $6,640 per year and median graduate earnings of only $25,113 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Key strengths include manageable debt relative to earnings. However, the data also shows weak earnings relative to cost and a long payback period.
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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.