Suny College At Potsdam

SUNY College at Potsdam's program mix is anchored in education and teacher preparation—a signature aligned with the institution's mission as a comprehensive public liberal arts college in upstate New York. Subject-Specific Teacher Education is the largest program with 106 graduates, followed by Business Administration with 61 graduates, Teacher Education with 58 graduates, Psychology, General with 57 graduates, and Music with 46 graduates.

Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 656 students annually, the institution offers a focused portfolio centered on Education. The earnings pattern reflects Potsdam's positioning as a teacher-preparation and liberal arts institution.

Subject-Specific Teacher Education leads with median earnings of $57,949 four years after enrollment, followed by Business Administration at $57,066, Teacher Education at $53,834, Criminal Justice at $53,597, and Sociology at $51,086. The concentration of large cohorts in education-adjacent fields—including Subject-Specific Teacher Education, Business Administration, and Teacher Education—reflects strong regional demand for educators and school professionals in rural and mid-sized communities across New York and New England.

Many of Potsdam's dominant programs are grad-school-dependent or credential-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory. Education majors, for example, often pursue master's degrees or advanced certifications that shift career earnings upward beyond the four-year window.

Liberal arts and sciences programs similarly support graduate study in specialized fields. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how teacher-preparation fields align with regional and national labor-market trends, particularly in rural and underserved school districts where Potsdam graduates often build careers.

SUNY College at Potsdam's published cost of attendance is $25,083. Net price by income band shows how financial aid reshapes that sticker price: low-income families pay approximately $8,623, middle-income families pay around $14,524, and higher-income families pay approximately $20,041.

Azimuth ranks Suny College At Potsdam #391 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. 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.

SUNY College at Potsdam participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. As a public institution, the university benefits from state appropriations that help keep sticker price lower than comparable private colleges.

Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the institution's aid structure prioritizes meeting demonstrated need within available resources. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $24,250, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $19,000; 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 the institution's median four-year earnings of $49,169, median federal debt of $24,250 projects to a monthly payment of about $274 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 SUNY College at Potsdam earn median 4-year earnings of $49,169, placing Suny College At Potsdam in the 9.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $10,451 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Suny College At Potsdam in the 19.7 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Suny College At Potsdam #1288 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect the institution's education-focused mission and the stable, in-demand career pathways that teacher-preparation programs create.

The earnings pattern centers on education and human-services fields. Subject-Specific Teacher Education is the largest program with 106 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $57,949, performing at 1.1x the national benchmark for the field [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).

The Business Administration program graduates 61 students earning $57,066, at 0.8x benchmark, while Teacher Education delivers $53,834 for 58 graduates at 1.1x benchmark. Psychology, General and Music round out the top five, with earnings of $48,601 and $36,677 respectively.

The concentration in Education — which anchors the institution's degree output — connects directly to New York's sustained demand for educators and support professionals, supporting long-term career stability and predictable earnings growth.