Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Central Connecticut State University #175 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $67,245, placing Central Connecticut State University in the 71.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Central Connecticut State University sits in the 78.9 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting outcomes that consistently exceed what similar students earn at comparable institutions. Central Connecticut State University's composite ranking reflects a balance of affordability, access, and graduate earnings that positions this Connecticut public university competitively among its peers. Graduates enter the workforce with median earnings that hold up well relative to the broader field of four-year institutions, anchored by the university's strength in business and applied programs.
Azimuth ranks Central Connecticut State University #175 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in New Britain, CT, Central Connecticut State University enrolls roughly 7,822 undergraduates. Retention stands at 77.1% and the six-year graduation rate is 48.4%, figures that reflect steady degree completion for a regional public institution serving a broad cross-section of Connecticut students. What anchors Central Connecticut State University in the composite is mobility. The university sits in the 90.5 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, driven by strong outcomes for low-income and first-generation students who make up a meaningful share of the student body — 38.4% receive Pell Grants and 38.7% are first-generation. Access reinforces that story: Central Connecticut State University sits in the 81.3 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions, with an admission rate of 73.3% that reflects a broad-access posture. Affordability sits in the 66.6 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return on investment is the lower-ranked pillar in the composite. Azimuth ranks Central Connecticut State University #480 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions, in the 67.6 percentile. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $67,245, and graduates earn about $6,075 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Central Connecticut State University in the 78.9 percentile for among nonprofit four-year institutions. The dominant program family is Business, and the earnings figures reflect CT's regional labor market and a student population whose post-graduation outcomes represent meaningful returns relative to the no-degree-equivalent baseline of $34,809, even where they fall below selective-peer averages.
Central Connecticut State University's published cost of attendance is $24,870, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $13,589 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $15,091, and higher-income families pay approximately $21,562. Azimuth ranks Central Connecticut State University #477 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. As a public institution in Connecticut, Central Connecticut State University benefits from in-state tuition structures that keep net price relatively accessible for families who qualify for need-based aid, and the spread across income bands reflects a meaningful aid commitment to lower-income students. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Families applying for aid at Central Connecticut State University use the FAFSA to establish eligibility for federal, state, and institutional grant programs. Connecticut's need-based aid landscape, including state grant programs, supplements federal Pell Grants for qualifying residents, which can further reduce the net price shown for low-income families. The net price illusion is worth keeping in mind: the published cost of attendance rarely reflects what most families actually pay, and the income-band figures above offer a more grounded starting point for planning. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,300, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $19,642; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at Central Connecticut State University's median four-year earnings of $67,245, median federal debt of $22,300 projects to a monthly payment of about $252 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Central Connecticut State University is a strong fit for students in Connecticut and the broader New England region who are drawn to business, education, or applied professional fields and want a public university experience with manageable costs and a clear path to employment. Graduates earn median 71.2 percentile median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Central Connecticut State University sits in the 78.9 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions — graduates earn about $6,075 more than similar students at comparable institutions, a meaningful signal for students weighing long-term return on investment at a public institution. The access profile is broad. 38.4% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 38.7% are first-generation college students, and the institution's completion outcomes for Pell-eligible students — 57.0% graduation rate for that group — reflect a campus that actively supports students who need more than just an open door. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix is concentrated in Business and related applied fields, so students whose interests align there will find the strongest outcomes, while those seeking a research-intensive or highly specialized STEM environment may find a better match elsewhere. Median student debt at graduation is $22,300, which is a reasonable starting point for students who borrow, though individual outcomes will vary by program and aid package.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the Central Connecticut State University hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Mechanical Engineering
57 graduates
Construction Management
41 graduates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
64 graduates
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
20 graduates
Management Information Systems and Services
37 graduates
Central Connecticut State University's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 26% of graduates, followed by Social Sciences at 15% and Education at 4%. The largest programs by cohort size are Criminology (142 graduates), Psychology, General (116 graduates), Business Administration (96 graduates), Accounting (93 graduates), and Finance (79 graduates).
This applied-professional orientation shapes the institution's overall earnings profile, with business and health fields driving much of the graduate output. The strongest early-career earnings come from Mechanical Engineering, where graduates earn median earnings of $94,462 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #124 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Nursing graduates earn $92,216, and Azimuth ranks the program #150 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Artificial Intelligence rounds out the top earners at $86,238, with Azimuth ranking it #149 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Criminology combines a large cohort with solid pay, making it the program that contributes the most aggregate economic value across the institution's graduates. Several of Central Connecticut State University's health-related programs — particularly nursing — feed directly into Connecticut's in-demand healthcare labor market, where graduates enter the workforce immediately at competitive salaries.
Business and accounting graduates similarly follow high-mobility, direct-to-workforce pathways. Programs like Business Administration may reflect more grad-school-dependent trajectories where four-year earnings undercount the longer-term career arc.
The [supply-demand map for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides additional context for how these program families align with national hiring trends. Across 44 programs serving roughly 1,661 students annually, 33 meet Azimuth's [ranking threshold](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Central Connecticut State University's published cost of attendance is $24,870, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $13,589 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $15,091, and higher-income families pay approximately $21,562.
Azimuth ranks Central Connecticut State University #477 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. As a public institution in Connecticut, Central Connecticut State University benefits from in-state tuition structures that keep net price relatively accessible for families who qualify for need-based aid, and the spread across income bands reflects a meaningful aid commitment to lower-income students.
Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Families applying for aid at Central Connecticut State University use the FAFSA to establish eligibility for federal, state, and institutional grant programs.
Connecticut's need-based aid landscape, including state grant programs, supplements federal Pell Grants for qualifying residents, which can further reduce the net price shown for low-income families. The [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is worth keeping in mind: the published cost of attendance rarely reflects what most families actually pay, and the income-band figures above offer a more grounded starting point for planning.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,300, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $19,642; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at Central Connecticut State University's median four-year earnings of $67,245, median federal debt of $22,300 projects to a monthly payment of about $252 under standard ten-year repayment.
For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Central Connecticut State University earn median earnings of $67,245 four years after enrollment, placing Central Connecticut State University in the 71.2 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $56,249 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).
Graduates earn about $6,075 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 78.9 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to CT's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $34,809 — the state median earnings of working adults in their late twenties and early thirties with only a high school credential.
Criminology combines strong enrollment with competitive pay, making it a central part of Central Connecticut State University's degree output. Business is the dominant program family, accounting for 26% of graduates, followed by Social Sciences at 15% and Education at 4%.
Among the highest-earning programs, Azimuth ranks Criminology #3 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 142 graduates earning median earnings of $61,950. Azimuth ranks Psychology, General #129 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 116 graduates earning median earnings of $53,227.
The Business Administration program graduates 96 students and Azimuth ranks it #121 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, while Accounting round out the top programs with median earnings of $74,408 and $78,910 respectively.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University Of Mississippi Similar quality tier (#4335 ranked) | MS | 97% | $50,994 | #4335 | Compare |
The University Of Texas At Tyler Similar quality tier (#4332 ranked) | TX | 94% | $57,053 | #4332 | Compare |
University Of Maryland-Baltimore County Similar quality tier (#4329 ranked) | MD | 72% | $69,960 | #4329 | Compare |
University Of Louisiana At Lafayette Similar quality tier (#4339 ranked) | LA | 87% | $47,089 | #4339 | Compare |
California State University-Channel Islands Similar quality tier (#4324 ranked) | CA | 95% | $62,152 | #4324 | Compare |
