CUNY Queens College — ROI, Cost & Payback
CUNY Queens College charges a net price of $4,195/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $16,780. Graduates earn a median $62,763 ten years after entry, $14,403/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 1.2 years — a 20-year net return of $271,280, a strong payback — the degree clears its cost fast. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
CUNY Queens College's 1.2-year payback ranks #19 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 99% of them, and #7 of 203 in New York.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $4,195/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $16,780 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $62,763 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $14,403/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $10,298 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 1.2 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $271,280 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on CUNY Queens College's own numbers. Net price $4,195 × 4 years = $16,780 total. Median earnings $62,763 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $14,403 a year of premium. $16,780 ÷ $14,403 = 1.2 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $271,280. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do CUNY Queens College students graduate with?
A median $10,298 in federal loans among completers, or 16% of the $62,763 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of CUNY Queens College students graduate?
53% finish their degree — 47% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $16,780 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $31,660 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is CUNY Queens College expensive compared with other New York colleges?
Its $4,195 net price runs $14,718 below the $18,913 median across the 203 New York colleges we profile, and $58,872 less across the full degree.