Plaza College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Plaza College charges a net price of $19,860/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $39,720. Median earnings ten years after entry are $31,519, 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, Plaza College does not clear its cost — it ranks #184 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) | $19,860/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $39,720 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $31,519 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$16,841/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $20,751 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$376,540 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Plaza College's own numbers. Net price $19,860 × 2 years = $39,720 total. Median earnings $31,519 fall $16,841 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 $39,720 bill in about 4.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Plaza College students graduate with?
A median $20,751 in federal loans among completers, or 66% of the $31,519 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Plaza College students graduate?
68% finish their degree — 32% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $39,720 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $58,412 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Plaza College expensive compared with other New York colleges?
Its $19,860 net price runs $947 above the $18,913 median across the 203 New York colleges we profile, or $1,894 more across the full degree.