10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$29,610at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
University at Buffalo
⌖ Buffalo, NY · 73 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$29,610 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
11.3 yrsModeled economic break-even
−11%Modeled 10-year ROI
$68,437Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$20,995Average net price / year
$30,785Cost of attendance
$68,437Median earnings · year 5 after completion
75.2%Completion rate
74.2%Admission rate
20,112Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$44,259Year 1
$71,430Year 4
$68,437Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Dentistry · First Professional Degree$198,1102Pharmacology and Toxicology · Doctoral Degree$180,2293Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Doctoral Degree$156,7794Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration · First Professional Degree$137,1015Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$114,4806Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology · Doctoral Degree$112,0257Chemistry · Doctoral Degree$109,4148Computer Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$109,221Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in NY
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Albany, NY
University at Albany
- Annual net price
- $17,167
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $64,597
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -21%
SUNY College at Geneseo
- Annual net price
- $18,211
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $62,263
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -32%
State University of New York at Cortland
- Annual net price
- $22,345
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $60,759
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -41%
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
- Annual net price
- $14,164
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $70,849
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +9%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dentistry | First Professional Degree | $198,110 | Not available |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | Doctoral Degree | $180,229 | Not available |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Doctoral Degree | $156,779 | Not available |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | First Professional Degree | $137,101 | Not available |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $114,480 | Not available |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Doctoral Degree | $112,025 | Not available |
| Chemistry | Doctoral Degree | $109,414 | Not available |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $109,221 | $22,500 |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $105,160 | $20,500 |
| Chemical Engineering | Master's Degree | $102,730 | Not available |
| Industrial Engineering | Master's Degree | $102,080 | Not available |
| Medicine | First Professional Degree | $100,331 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $98,554 | Not available |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $96,497 | Not available |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $95,424 | $23,161 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $95,209 | $23,500 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $93,507 | $26,117 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $92,360 | $24,846 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $92,314 | $19,680 |
| Civil Engineering | Master's Degree | $90,707 | Not available |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $89,223 | $21,842 |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $87,916 | Not available |
| Industrial Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $86,118 | $24,750 |
| Law | First Professional Degree | $85,126 | Not available |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $84,920 | $21,000 |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $84,868 | $22,913 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $84,602 | $23,944 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Master's Degree | $82,528 | Not available |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Doctoral Degree | $75,450 | Not available |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $75,263 | $27,000 |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $70,720 | $20,225 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $69,903 | $21,500 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | Master's Degree | $69,581 | Not available |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | $68,413 | $23,250 |
| Geography and Cartography | Bachelor's Degree | $68,176 | $24,255 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $66,880 | $23,900 |
| Architecture | Master's Degree | $66,761 | Not available |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Master's Degree | $65,788 | Not available |
| International Business | Bachelor's Degree | $64,711 | $22,782 |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | Bachelor's Degree | $64,445 | $23,503 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $62,912 | $22,251 |
| Architecture | Bachelor's Degree | $61,525 | $22,854 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Master's Degree | $61,512 | Not available |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $61,300 | Not available |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $60,882 | $18,750 |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $60,612 | Not available |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $60,153 | Not available |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | Bachelor's Degree | $59,841 | $23,250 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Bachelor's Degree | $59,216 | $19,500 |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | Master's Degree | $58,546 | Not available |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $58,292 | $20,750 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $57,360 | $21,944 |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $57,298 | $22,481 |
| Library Science and Administration | Master's Degree | $56,619 | Not available |
| Social Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $56,257 | $21,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Master's Degree | $55,486 | Not available |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $54,856 | Not available |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $54,382 | $18,945 |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $52,303 | $20,830 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | Master's Degree | $51,565 | Not available |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $51,385 | $19,583 |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $50,518 | $23,392 |
| Environmental Design | Bachelor's Degree | $49,920 | $19,669 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Master's Degree | $48,676 | Not available |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Bachelor's Degree | $45,677 | $26,637 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $44,841 | $19,125 |
| Anthropology | Bachelor's Degree | $44,274 | $24,500 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $43,584 | $19,500 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $43,285 | $24,509 |
| Dance | Bachelor's Degree | $39,576 | $20,500 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Master's Degree | $37,918 | Not available |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $19,375 |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $23,250 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.