Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in New York
Colleges ranked by how many years of extra earnings, above a high school graduate’s, cover four years of net price.
Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in New York67 schools
67 schools qualify, ranked by payback years. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in New York.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has median earnings ten years after enrolling and a net price from federal data (College Scorecard), and those earnings are above a high school graduate’s ($48,360 a year: median weekly earnings of $930 for full-time workers with a high school diploma, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Payback years = four years of net price ÷ (earnings − a high school graduate’s earnings). Ordered by payback years, fewest first. A simple estimate: it leaves out interest, taxes and earnings growth.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY · PublicHonor RollTop 2% for low net price
- Pays back in about 0.4 years
- Earnings $75,971 ten years out
- 2
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Kings Point, NY · PublicHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Pays back in about 0.6 years
- Earnings $90,610 ten years out
- 3
CUNY Hunter College
New York, NY · PublicTop 2% for low net price
- Pays back in about 0.8 years
- Earnings $63,163 ten years out
- 4
CUNY City College
New York, NY · PublicTop 2% for low net price
- Pays back in about 0.9 years
- Earnings $66,039 ten years out
- 5
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Albany, NY · Private nonprofitTop 1% for earnings
- Pays back in about 1.4 years
- Earnings $131,426 ten years out
- 6
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
New York, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Pays back in about 1.5 years
- Earnings $83,847 ten years out
- 7
Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 2% for graduation
- Pays back in about 1.6 years
- Earnings $102,491 ten years out
- 8
SUNY Maritime College
Throggs Neck, NY · PublicTop 3% for earnings
- Pays back in about 1.9 years
- Earnings $95,951 ten years out
- 9
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#2 in New York
- Pays back in about 2.1 years
- Earnings $104,043 ten years out
- 10Tie
Binghamton University
Vestal, NY · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Pays back in about 2.7 years
- Earnings $80,596 ten years out
- 10Tie
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Pays back in about 2.7 years
- Earnings $102,051 ten years out
- 12Tie
Manhattan University
Riverdale, NY · Private nonprofitTop 6% for earnings
- Pays back in about 2.9 years
- Earnings $86,316 ten years out
- 12Tie
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Pays back in about 2.9 years
- Earnings $74,502 ten years out
- 12Tie
Clarkson University
Potsdam, NY · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- Pays back in about 2.9 years
- Earnings $89,696 ten years out
- 15
Colgate University
Hamilton, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Pays back in about 3.1 years
- Earnings $85,139 ten years out
- 16
Molloy University
Rockville Centre, NY · Private nonprofitTop 9% for earnings
- Pays back in about 3.3 years
- Earnings $77,789 ten years out
- 17
Union College
Schenectady, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 5% for earnings
- Pays back in about 3.4 years
- Earnings $88,604 ten years out
- 18
University at Albany
Albany, NY · PublicTop 16% for earnings
- Pays back in about 3.5 years
- Earnings $67,979 ten years out
- 19
Barnard College
New York, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Pays back in about 3.6 years
- Earnings $80,516 ten years out
- 20
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY · PublicExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Pays back in about 3.7 years
- Earnings $70,814 ten years out
- 21Tie
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Pays back in about 3.8 years
- Earnings $79,042 ten years out
- 21Tie
SUNY College at Geneseo
Geneseo, NY · PublicExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Pays back in about 3.8 years
- Earnings $67,316 ten years out
- 23
Hamilton College
Clinton, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Pays back in about 3.9 years
- Earnings $78,411 ten years out
- 24
New York Institute of Technology
Old Westbury, NY · Private nonprofitTop 14% for earnings
- Pays back in about 4.1 years
- Earnings $70,080 ten years out
- 25
New York University
New York, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Pays back in about 4.3 years
- Earnings $82,509 ten years out
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | $3,033 | $11,512 | $75,971 | 72% |
| United States Merchant Marine Academy | $6,174 | $8,833 | $90,610 | 82% |
| CUNY Hunter College | $2,984 | $11,000 | $63,163 | 57% |
| CUNY City College | $3,776 | $11,990 | $66,039 | 57% |
| Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | $29,882 | $25,500 | $131,426 | 68% |
| The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | $13,269 | $15,000 | $83,847 | 81% |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $21,590 | $21,500 | $102,491 | 96% |
| SUNY Maritime College | $22,367 | $23,250 | $95,951 | 64% |
| Cornell University | $28,690 | $14,000 | $104,043 | 95% |
| Binghamton University | $21,620 | $18,500 | $80,596 | 82% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | $36,228 | $23,750 | $102,051 | 84% |
| Manhattan University | $27,256 | $26,000 | $86,316 | 64% |
| Stony Brook University | $18,784 | $18,228 | $74,502 | 76% |
| Clarkson University | $30,305 | $26,000 | $89,696 | 75% |
| Colgate University | $28,786 | $15,000 | $85,139 | 91% |
| Molloy University | $24,347 | $27,000 | $77,789 | 70% |
| Union College | $34,561 | $25,337 | $88,604 | 80% |
| University at Albany | $17,167 | $19,500 | $67,979 | 61% |
| Barnard College | $28,800 | $18,000 | $80,516 | 93% |
| University at Buffalo | $20,995 | $19,000 | $70,814 | 75% |
| University of Rochester | $29,278 | $21,000 | $79,042 | 85% |
| SUNY College at Geneseo | $18,211 | $19,500 | $67,316 | 71% |
| Hamilton College | $28,985 | $17,000 | $78,411 | 91% |
| New York Institute of Technology | $22,443 | $23,334 | $70,080 | 59% |
| New York University | $37,050 | $20,500 | $82,509 | 88% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 5
- Arizona 3
- Arkansas 5
- California 54
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 15
- Georgia 9
- Illinois 19
- Indiana 19
- Iowa 15
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 5
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 7
- Maryland 14
- Massachusetts 38
- Michigan 19
- Minnesota 17
- Missouri 13
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 16
- North Carolina 15
- Ohio 28
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 9
- Pennsylvania 54
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 6
- Tennessee 7
- Texas 17
- Utah 4
- Vermont 5
- Virginia 19
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 13