SUNY College at Potsdam — ROI, Cost & Payback
SUNY College at Potsdam charges a net price of $13,624/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $54,496. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,866, 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 College at Potsdam does not clear its cost — it ranks #111 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) | $13,624/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $54,496 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $47,866 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$494/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $24,250 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$64,376 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on SUNY College at Potsdam's own numbers. Net price $13,624 × 4 years = $54,496 total. Median earnings $47,866 fall $494 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 $54,496 bill in about 5.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do SUNY College at Potsdam students graduate with?
A median $24,250 in federal loans among completers, or 51% of the $47,866 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of SUNY College at Potsdam students graduate?
45% finish their degree — 55% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $54,496 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $121,102 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is SUNY College at Potsdam expensive compared with other New York colleges?
Its $13,624 net price runs $5,289 below the $18,913 median across the 203 New York colleges we profile, and $21,156 less across the full degree.