Solid graduate outcomes with earnings above the peer average.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
State University of New York at Cortland graduates demonstrate consistent earnings progression throughout the early career period. Median earnings start at $46,535 six years after enrollment, increase to $56,579 at eight years, and reach $60,236 at the ten-year mark.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings exceed the peer average, indicating above-typical outcomes for this institution type.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $21,500 in debt with typical earnings.
Student debt levels at State University of New York at Cortland remain manageable relative to post-graduation earnings. Median student debt reaches $21,500, essentially matching the peer median of $21,105 with only a $395 difference.
State University of New York at Cortland delivers return on investment around the national average, ranking at the 52.8th percentile. Graduates earn $60,236 ten years after enrollment, placing the university at the 72nd percentile nationally for long-term earnings outcomes.
Approximately 26.6% of graduates continue to graduate or professional study based on program mix analysis with medium confidence level. This continua...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Program-specific earnings demonstrate the university's diverse strengths across multiple fields. Biology leads with $65,127 median earnings, followed by Business/Managerial Economics at $63,367 and specialized education programs producing graduates earning above $60,000.
Agricultural Teacher Education, with 191 graduates earning $52,869, represents both scale and quality outcomes. Exercise Science and Kinesiology, the university's largest program with 300 graduates, produces median earnings of $49,343.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings outcomes show moderate variation reflecting diverse program offerings and career paths. The distribution ranges from $43,982 at the 25th percentile to $82,293 at the 75th percentile, creating an 1.87:1 ratio between top and bottom quartiles.
