Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science — ROI, Cost & Payback
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science charges a net price of $26,683/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $106,732. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,145, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science does not clear its cost — it ranks #132 of 203 New York colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $26,683/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $106,732 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,145 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,215/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $22,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$151,032 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science's own numbers. Net price $26,683 × 4 years = $106,732 total. Median earnings $46,145 fall $2,215 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $106,732 bill in about 10.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science students graduate with?
A median $22,750 in federal loans among completers, or 49% of the $46,145 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science students graduate?
51% finish their degree — 49% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $106,732 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $209,278 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science expensive compared with other New York colleges?
Its $26,683 net price runs $7,770 above the $18,913 median across the 203 New York colleges we profile, or $31,080 more across the full degree.