At $21,348/yr net price, Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus graduates earn $38,830/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $4,830/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $21,348 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $85,392 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $38,830/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$4,830/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 17.7 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 26.8% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $19,000 |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $20,969/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $20,220/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $24,428/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $27,369/yr |
Earnings by Major
Top programs ranked by median earnings
| Program | Level | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants. | Certificate | $40,132 | $19,000 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services. | Associate | $29,685 | $19,075 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services. | Certificate | $28,236 | $18,625 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Associate | $22,771 | $23,250 |
The Risk Factor
26.8% of students at Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus graduate within 6 years. Fewer than half of students complete their degree. If you don't graduate, the financial investment may not pay off.
Analysis
The financial return at Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus is weak. You pay over $21,000 a year and come out earning about $38,830 a decade later, and only about a quarter of students finish. Those two numbers together are the core problem: you carry the cost whether or not you graduate, and most students here don't.
The programs split sharply. Practical Nursing is the one that pays, clearing $40,000 with the same $19,000 debt load everyone else carries. Medical Assisting, at both the associate and certificate level, lands in the high $20,000s, which is thin against the price you pay. Business Administration is the trap: it earns the least of any listed program and saddles you with the most debt, over $23,000. Skip it.
Note that the top earner here is a certificate, not a degree. If nursing is your goal, the certificate does the work, and stretching into a longer, pricier program at this campus does not raise your paycheck.
The specific risk at this school is the gap between what you spend and what most students actually complete. With a 27% graduation rate, the likeliest outcome is that you pay for time here and leave without the credential, still holding the debt.
The net price tiers make this worse for the middle. If your family earns $48,000 to $110,000, you pay more than families under $30,000 do, over $27,000 at the top band. Lower-income families get a modest break but still face roughly $21,000 a year.
This school fits you only if you enroll in Practical Nursing, finish it, and want to work in the Albany-area health field fast. If you're considering business or anything without a listed strong-earning program, look elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus worth the cost?
The return on investment is mixed at best. While nursing graduates earn around $40,000 annually, the low 27% graduation rate means most students don't finish their programs.
What programs at Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus have the best job prospects?
Practical nursing offers the strongest earnings potential at about $40,000 per year. Business and medical assisting programs show significantly lower returns at $22,000-29,000 annually.
How much debt do Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus graduates have?
Graduates typically leave with $19,000 in debt. Given the low graduation rate and modest earnings for most programs, this debt load poses real financial risk for many students.
Does Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus have good graduation rates?
No, only 27% of students graduate. This means nearly three out of four students leave without completing their program, often while still carrying debt.