At $10,363/yr net price, SUNY Adirondack graduates earn $41,267/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $7,267/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $10,363 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $41,452 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $41,267/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$7,267/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 5.7 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 29.2% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $14,345 |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $7,254/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $8,816/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,991/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $13,587/yr |
| $110,001+ | $16,017/yr |
Earnings by Major
Top programs ranked by median earnings
| Program | Level | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Associate | $55,873 | |
| Accounting and Related Services. | Associate | $38,289 | |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections. | Associate | $28,055 | $12,000 |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services. | Associate | $27,584 | |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | Associate | $26,121 | $12,713 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Associate | $24,936 | $10,138 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions. | Associate | $24,035 | |
| Design and Applied Arts. | Associate | $19,909 |
The Risk Factor
29.2% of students at SUNY Adirondack 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
SUNY Adirondack gives you a low-cost path with a modest payoff, and the results depend almost entirely on which program you pick. At just over $10k a year and median debt around $14,000, you are not taking on the kind of loan burden that sinks graduates. But the median earnings ten years out sit just above $41,000, which tells you the average outcome here is unremarkable.
The nursing associate degree is the clear financial winner. At nearly $56,000, it out-earns every other program by a wide margin and roughly doubles what the Liberal Arts track returns. If you come here for nursing and finish, the math works cleanly. Accounting lands in the middle and still beats the school median. Everything below that is where you should stop and think.
Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts, and Liberal Arts all pay under $28,000 a year a decade after enrolling. The Liberal Arts and Criminal Justice tracks also carry debt near $12,000 to $13,000, so you are borrowing real money for degrees that return low pay unless you transfer to a four-year school afterward. Treat those as stepping stones, not endpoints.
The biggest risk here is the 29% graduation rate. Most people who start do not finish, and a partial degree with debt is the worst outcome the numbers allow. Your ROI depends on actually completing.
Net price scales hard with income. If your family earns under $30k, you pay around $7,254. over $110k, it climbs to about $16,000. For lower-income families targeting nursing, this is a strong deal. If you are picking a low-earning major at the top price tier without a transfer plan, look elsewhere or reconsider the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SUNY Adirondack worth the cost?
SUNY Adirondack offers reasonable value at $10,363 per year with relatively low debt of $14,345. However, the 29% graduation rate is concerning and average earnings of $41,267 after 10 years are below national averages for college graduates.
What programs at SUNY Adirondack have the best ROI?
Nursing programs provide the strongest return with graduates earning $55,873 annually, making them worthwhile despite the school's overall lower earnings. Most other programs, including liberal arts ($26,121) and culinary arts ($27,584), offer poor financial returns.
How much debt do SUNY Adirondack graduates typically have?
The median debt is $14,345, which is manageable compared to many schools. This low debt load helps offset the below-average earnings for most graduates.
What is the graduation rate at SUNY Adirondack?
Only 29% of students graduate from SUNY Adirondack, meaning most students leave without completing their degree. This high dropout rate significantly increases the financial risk of attending.