Youngstown State University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Youngstown State University charges a net price of $12,767/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $51,068. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,544, 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, Youngstown State University does not clear its cost — it ranks #91 of 144 Ohio colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $12,767/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $51,068 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,544 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,816/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $24,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$187,388 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Youngstown State University's own numbers. Net price $12,767 × 4 years = $51,068 total. Median earnings $41,544 fall $6,816 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 $51,068 bill in about 5.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Youngstown State University students graduate with?
A median $24,000 in federal loans among completers, or 58% of the $41,544 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Youngstown State University students graduate?
50% finish their degree — 50% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $51,068 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $102,136 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Youngstown State University expensive compared with other Ohio colleges?
Its $12,767 net price runs $7,016 below the $19,783 median across the 144 Ohio colleges we profile, and $28,062 less across the full degree.