Students at Wagner College achieve exceptionally strong earnings that place the institution among the top 10% nationally for long-term financial outcomes.
Graduates consistently earn more than similar students at other institutions, with particularly impressive results for low-income students who reach the top tier nationally for post-graduation earnings.
Wagner College ranks among the top performers nationally for long-term earnings, placing in the 90th percentile for return on investment among all institutions. This small private college on Staten Island delivers exceptionally strong financial outcomes for graduates, with median 10-year earnings of $74,360 and graduates consistently earning about $3,400 more than similar students at other institutions nationwide.
What makes Wagner distinctive is how effectively it translates a personalized college experience into measurable career success. With just over 2,000 students, the college maintains the intimate feel of a small liberal arts institution while delivering the kind of earnings outcomes typically associated with much larger research universities. Nearly 30% of students are first-generation college students, and about 23% receive Pell Grants, showing that Wagner serves a meaningful share of students from diverse economic backgrounds.
As a "Selective Achievers" institution, Wagner combines strong outcomes with more limited access for low-income students. The college excels at helping the students it enrolls succeed financially, with particularly strong performance in nursing and business programs that lead directly into well-paying careers. For families who can navigate the higher costs of private education, Wagner offers a compelling combination of personal attention and professional preparation that consistently pays off in the job market.
Wagner College's program portfolio centers on professional preparation in high-demand fields, with nursing and business forming the core of the college's career-focused approach. Adult Health Nursing stands out as both the largest program, graduating 130 students annually, and the highest-earning, with graduates earning $95,910 in early career. This combination of scale and outcomes makes nursing Wagner's primary economic engine, reflecting both the college's strength in health sciences education and the strong job market for nursing professionals in the New York metropolitan area.
Business Administration represents Wagner's second-largest program, graduating 68 students per year with median earnings of $49,019. While these earnings are more moderate than nursing, the business program provides a solid foundation for careers in management, finance, and entrepreneurship, with many graduates likely seeing significant earnings growth as their careers progress. Even smaller programs like Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management demonstrate Wagner's commitment to preparing students for professional success, with 22 graduates earning $39,585 in early career.
The college's small size means that each program can provide personalized attention and direct industry connections that larger institutions often struggle to match. With fewer than 400 total graduates earning more than $75,000 annually, Wagner creates an intimate but well-connected professional network that provides meaningful advantages for career advancement and job placement in competitive metropolitan markets.
Wagner College graduates achieve exceptionally strong long-term earnings that place the institution in the top 10% nationally for return on investment. Ten years after enrollment, graduates earn a median of $74,360, with many seeing their earnings climb steadily from the $63,439 median at six years post-graduation. Perhaps most importantly, Wagner graduates earn about $3,400 more than similar students at other institutions, demonstrating the college's ability to add meaningful value beyond what would be expected based on student characteristics alone.
The college's strongest financial outcomes come from its nursing and business programs, which together represent the core of Wagner's career-focused approach. Adult Health Nursing graduates 130 students annually and delivers exceptional early-career earnings of $95,910, making it both the largest and highest-earning program at the college. Business Administration graduates about 68 students per year with median earnings of $49,019, providing a solid foundation for careers in management and finance. Even programs like Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, while smaller with 22 graduates, demonstrate Wagner's commitment to preparing students for professional success across diverse fields.
The college's small size creates advantages for career preparation and employer connections that larger institutions often struggle to match. With fewer than 400 students earning more than $75,000 annually, Wagner graduates enter a selective but well-connected alumni network that provides meaningful professional opportunities in the New York metropolitan area and beyond.
Wagner College's affordability profile reflects the typical challenges and trade-offs of private higher education, with net prices that require significant family investment but lead to strong long-term returns. Low-income students pay about $22,751 annually after aid, while middle-income families see costs around $28,086 per year, and high-income families pay approximately $28,789. These prices place Wagner in the lower quartile nationally for affordability, meaning most families will find it more expensive than typical public alternatives.
The college's aid strategy appears focused on making attendance possible rather than eliminating financial barriers entirely. While net prices remain substantial across all income levels, the relatively modest variation between income bands suggests that Wagner provides meaningful aid to lower-income students while maintaining a tuition model that depends on significant family contributions. The consistency in pricing across income groups also means that middle-class families don't face the steep price increases that can occur at institutions with more aggressive high-income pricing.
For families considering Wagner, the key question becomes whether the college's exceptional career outcomes justify the higher upfront investment. With graduates earning significantly more than expected and the college ranking in the top 10% nationally for return on investment, many families find that Wagner's premium pricing translates into measurably better long-term financial results for their students.
Wagner College Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
