University at Albany
Albany, New York
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
10% gap between the two groups
15% gap between the two groups
17% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $11,112 |
| $30k–$48k | $14,062 |
| $48k–$75k | $17,923 |
| $75k–$110k | $20,037 |
| $110k+ | $24,085 |
How University at Albany compares
This college against the New York and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of University at Albany students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at University at Albany
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | Associate's | $93,077 | $22,186 | +1,033% | Strong return |
| Taxation | Certificate | $123,372 | $20,500 | +929% | Strong return |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Associate's | $81,880 | $20,000 | +786% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's | $81,665 | $19,800 | +782% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Certificate | $115,694 | $31,500 | +782% | Strong return |
| Information Science/Studies | Associate's | $70,275 | — | +636% | Strong return |
| Mathematics and Statistics, Other | Associate's | $75,526 | $19,895 | +634% | Strong return |
| Accounting and Related Services | Certificate | $99,585 | $20,500 | +617% | Strong return |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | Associate's | $68,524 | $20,500 | +463% | Strong return |
| Public Health | Certificate | $90,300 | $32,643 | +462% | Strong return |
| Public Administration | Certificate | $88,198 | $28,125 | +447% | Strong return |
| Chemistry | Associate's | $67,794 | $21,250 | +442% | Strong return |
| Public Health | Associate's | $66,859 | $20,750 | +422% | Strong return |
| Economics | Associate's | $66,432 | $19,574 | +417% | Strong return |
| Physics | Associate's | $65,574 | $19,031 | +399% | Strong return |
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other | Associate's | $62,649 | $18,400 | +330% | Strong return |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Associate's | $59,475 | — | +322% | Strong return |
| Criminology | Associate's | $62,386 | $19,400 | +320% | Strong return |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Associate's | $61,851 | $19,000 | +308% | Strong return |
| Biology, General | Associate's | $60,820 | $20,500 | +278% | Strong return |
| Social Work | Associate's | $57,591 | $20,565 | +201% | Strong return |
| Criminology | Certificate | $66,732 | $23,642 | +181% | Strong return |
| Journalism | Associate's | $56,664 | $22,467 | +174% | Strong return |
| Mathematics | Associate's | $55,615 | $21,531 | +152% | Strong return |
| Curriculum and Instruction | Certificate | $64,094 | $20,267 | +151% | Strong return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at University at Albany
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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