SUNY at Purchase College — ROI, Cost & Payback
SUNY at Purchase College charges a net price of $18,913/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $75,652. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,092, 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, SUNY at Purchase College does not clear its cost — it ranks #128 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) | $18,913/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $75,652 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,092 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,268/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $21,067 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$141,012 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on SUNY at Purchase College's own numbers. Net price $18,913 × 4 years = $75,652 total. Median earnings $45,092 fall $3,268 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 $75,652 bill in about 7.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with?
A median $21,067 in federal loans among completers, or 47% of the $45,092 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of SUNY at Purchase College students graduate?
63% finish their degree — 37% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $75,652 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $120,083 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is SUNY at Purchase College expensive compared with other New York colleges?
Its $18,913 net price runs $0 above the $18,913 median across the 203 New York colleges we profile, or $0 more across the full degree.