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
10-year estimate · Negative payoff
−$29,610 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
With these assumptions, the added earnings do not recover the cost within ten years.
11.3 yrsModeled economic break-even
−11%Modeled 10-year ROI
$68,437Observed earnings · year 5
$13,593Maximum annual price for positive 10-year payoff
The price benchmark would need to fall by $7,403 per year to reach it.
Includes direct price and earnings forgone while studying. Assumes $45,000 in alternative annual earnings and no wage growth. How we calculate itWhat the numbers say about University at Buffalo
What does University at Buffalo cost?
University at Buffalo reports an average annual net price of $20,995 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do University at Buffalo graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $68,437 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do University at Buffalo graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $19,000. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at University at Buffalo worth the same?
No. DegreeVerdict currently shows 73 field-and-credential outcomes at University at Buffalo; reported earnings and debt can differ substantially by program category.
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.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$54,370
$8,000Annual price+$22,370
$16,000Annual price−$9,630
$21,000Current college-wide context−$29,630
$24,000Annual price−$41,630
$32,000Annual price−$73,630
$40,000Annual price−$105,630
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- Suburban
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
Cost, debt, completion and earnings context
$20,995Average net price / year
$30,785Cost of attendance
$19,000Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$201/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$68,437Median earnings · year 5 after completion
75.2%Completion rate
74.2%Admission rate
20,112Student size
Institution debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded; missing and privacy-suppressed values remain unavailable.
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
66% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
1,585 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
67% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$64,947Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$68,103Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$76,434Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income62%
Middle income68%
Higher income74%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Computer Programming.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 11
$179,858Year 1
$253,237Year 5
$186,860Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Doctoral, professional practice · Broad federal field 51
$78,875Year 1
$144,955Year 5
$183,067Year 10
Computer Programming.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$125,614Year 1
$169,947Year 5
$167,430Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 14
$94,768Year 1
$142,462Year 5
$165,855Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$78,338Year 1
$113,027Year 5
$147,575Year 10
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 26
$68,867Year 1
$112,807Year 5
$145,894Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 14
$77,548Year 1
$111,067Year 5
$141,633Year 10
Astronomy and Astrophysics.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 40
$76,644Year 1
$102,218Year 5
$132,952Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use only reportable field-and-credential records at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
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
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Pharmacology and ToxicologyDoctoral Degree · $180,229 reported+65%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree · $92,314 reported+21%vs same-degree national median$19,680federal debt3Geography and CartographyBachelor's Degree · $68,176 reported+18%vs same-degree national median$24,255federal debt4Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsBachelor's Degree · $89,223 reported+17%vs same-degree national median$21,842federal debt5DentistryFirst Professional Degree · $198,110 reported+16%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt6Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftBachelor's Degree · $45,677 reported+15%vs same-degree national median$26,637federal debt
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 | 2023–24 awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dentistry | First Professional Degree | $198,110 | Not available | Not reported |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | Doctoral Degree | $180,229 | Not available | 1 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Doctoral Degree | $156,779 | Not available | 59 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | First Professional Degree | $137,101 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $114,480 | Not available | 0 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Doctoral Degree | $112,025 | Not available | 6 |
| Chemistry | Doctoral Degree | $109,414 | Not available | 28 |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $109,221 | $22,500 | Not reported |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $105,160 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Chemical Engineering | Master's Degree | $102,730 | Not available | Not reported |
| Industrial Engineering | Master's Degree | $102,080 | Not available | Not reported |
| Medicine | First Professional Degree | $100,331 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $98,554 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Master's Degree | $96,497 | Not available | 0 |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $95,424 | $23,161 | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $95,209 | $23,500 | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $93,507 | $26,117 | 0 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $92,360 | $24,846 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $92,314 | $19,680 | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Master's Degree | $90,707 | Not available | 0 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $89,223 | $21,842 | Not reported |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $87,916 | Not available | 0 |
| Industrial Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $86,118 | $24,750 | Not reported |
| Law | First Professional Degree | $85,126 | Not available | Not reported |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $84,920 | $21,000 | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $84,868 | $22,913 | 5 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $84,602 | $23,944 | 0 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Master's Degree | $82,528 | Not available | Not reported |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Doctoral Degree | $75,450 | Not available | 43 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $75,263 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $70,720 | $20,225 | 0 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $69,903 | $21,500 | 0 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | Master's Degree | $69,581 | Not available | Not reported |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | $68,413 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Geography and Cartography | Bachelor's Degree | $68,176 | $24,255 | Not reported |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $66,880 | $23,900 | Not reported |
| Architecture | Master's Degree | $66,761 | Not available | Not reported |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Master's Degree | $65,788 | Not available | 0 |
| International Business | Bachelor's Degree | $64,711 | $22,782 | Not reported |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | Bachelor's Degree | $64,445 | $23,503 | Not reported |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $62,912 | $22,251 | Not reported |
| Architecture | Bachelor's Degree | $61,525 | $22,854 | Not reported |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Master's Degree | $61,512 | Not available | 0 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $61,300 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $60,882 | $18,750 | Not reported |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $60,612 | Not available | Not reported |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $60,153 | Not available | 0 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | Bachelor's Degree | $59,841 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Bachelor's Degree | $59,216 | $19,500 | Not reported |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | Master's Degree | $58,546 | Not available | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $58,292 | $20,750 | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $57,360 | $21,944 | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $57,298 | $22,481 | Not reported |
| Library Science and Administration | Master's Degree | $56,619 | Not available | 0 |
| Social Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $56,257 | $21,000 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Master's Degree | $55,486 | Not available | 0 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $54,856 | Not available | 26 |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $54,382 | $18,945 | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $52,303 | $20,830 | Not reported |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | Master's Degree | $51,565 | Not available | 0 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $51,385 | $19,583 | Not reported |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $50,518 | $23,392 | Not reported |
| Environmental Design | Bachelor's Degree | $49,920 | $19,669 | 7 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Master's Degree | $48,676 | Not available | 0 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Bachelor's Degree | $45,677 | $26,637 | Not reported |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $44,841 | $19,125 | Not reported |
| Anthropology | Bachelor's Degree | $44,274 | $24,500 | Not reported |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $43,584 | $19,500 | Not reported |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $43,285 | $24,509 | Not reported |
| Dance | Bachelor's Degree | $39,576 | $20,500 | Not reported |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Master's Degree | $37,918 | Not available | Not reported |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $19,375 | Not reported |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $23,250 | 22 |
Awards use first-major IPEDS completions aggregated to the same four-digit field and credential.
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.