Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Suny Oneonta #456 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Suny Oneonta sits in the 18.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earn about $11,022 less than similar students at comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks Biology, General #31 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment — the institution's highest-return program and a standout within its education-dominant program mix. --- Students at Suny Oneonta outperform earnings expectations by a meaningful margin relative to peers, a signal that the institution's program mix — anchored in education and related fields — translates into stronger financial outcomes than the dominant program family alone might suggest. Graduates earn median 39.0 percentile earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with Biology, General standing out as a nationally ranked program that lifts the institution's overall return profile.
Azimuth ranks Suny Oneonta #456 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 69.0 percentile for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Oneonta, NY, Suny Oneonta enrolls roughly 4,643 undergraduates. Retention stands at 75.5% and the six-year graduation rate is 68.8%, reflecting solid degree-completion performance for a regional public institution. The composite is anchored by what Suny Oneonta delivers for its students. 36.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 25.8% are first-generation college students, reflecting a broad-access admissions posture. Graduates earn median $58,809 four years after enrollment, placing Suny Oneonta in the 39.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $11,022 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Suny Oneonta in the 18.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The dominant program concentration in Education shapes the institution's graduate outcomes and regional labor-market alignment. Return on investment sits at the 34.2 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions, as Azimuth ranks Suny Oneonta #973 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access sits in the 73.4 percentile and mobility in the 83.2 percentile for their respective composites among nonprofit four-year institutions, while affordability reaches the 64.7 percentile — a profile that reflects the institution's public-tuition structure and its orientation toward serving students from a wide range of economic backgrounds.
SUNY Oneonta's published cost of attendance is $28,821. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $11,044, families in the low-to-mid range pay around $14,427, middle-income families pay about $19,189, families in the mid-to-high range pay approximately $20,552, and higher-income families pay roughly $25,382. Azimuth ranks Suny Oneonta #504 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. As a public SUNY campus, Oneonta offers access to federal and state financial aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans. The institution's tuition structure reflects New York's public higher education pricing, with additional aid available through need-based scholarships and institutional funding. The gap between published cost of attendance and net price demonstrates how financial aid reduces the actual out-of-pocket expense for many families. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,812, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $24,845; 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 the institution's median four-year earnings of $58,809, median federal debt of $19,812 projects to a monthly payment of about $224 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Suny Oneonta is a strong fit for students drawn to education, liberal arts, and applied social fields who want a public regional university in upstate NY with a clear path to stable post-graduation outcomes. Graduates earn about $11,022 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Suny Oneonta in the 18.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $58,809, placing Suny Oneonta in the 39.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access profile is broad: 36.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 25.8% are first-generation students, and Suny Oneonta sits in the 32.9 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the 4-year horizon — reflecting meaningful outcomes for students from lower-income backgrounds. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program mix is concentrated in Education and related fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes, while those seeking engineering or business-heavy programs may find a better match elsewhere. Median student debt at graduation is $19,812, a figure worth weighing alongside the earnings trajectory for the specific programs a student is considering.
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
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Financial GPS Tool
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This is the Suny Oneonta hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
SUNY Oneonta's published cost of attendance is $28,821. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $11,044, families in the low-to-mid range pay around $14,427, middle-income families pay about $19,189, families in the mid-to-high range pay approximately $20,552, and higher-income families pay roughly $25,382.
Azimuth ranks Suny Oneonta #504 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.
As a public SUNY campus, Oneonta offers access to federal and state financial aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans. The institution's tuition structure reflects New York's public higher education pricing, with additional aid available through need-based scholarships and institutional funding.
The gap between published cost of attendance and net price demonstrates how financial aid reduces the actual out-of-pocket expense for many families. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,812, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $24,845; 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 $58,809, median federal debt of $19,812 projects to a monthly payment of about $224 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 Oneonta earn median 4-year earnings of $58,809, placing Suny Oneonta in the 39.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $11,022 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Suny Oneonta in the 18.4 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Suny Oneonta #973 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 34.2 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent meaningful returns relative to NY's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $32,204, the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential.
The earnings pattern at Suny Oneonta is anchored in Education, which forms the core of the institution's degree output. Teacher Education stands out as the program combining the broadest cohort scale with the strongest aggregate earnings contribution.
The Psychology, General program graduates 181 students with median earnings of $51,355 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #149 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/). Teacher Education and Communication and Media Studies round out the institution's largest programs, with graduates earning median four-year earnings of $58,496 and $57,447 respectively.
Among the highest-earning fields, Business/Managerial Economics and Biology, General offer stronger early-career upside, with four-year median earnings of $70,986 and $71,874, reflecting the institution's capacity to channel students into well-compensated roles even outside its dominant program family.
Explore alternatives with comparable outcomes based on location, selectivity, and value:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
King's College Higher acceptance rate (23.1 percentage points higher) and located 94 miles away; similar graduate earnings | PA | 93% | $59,498 | Compare |
Elmira College Higher acceptance rate (20.7 percentage points higher) and located 93 miles away; similar graduate earnings | NY | 91% | $57,550 | Compare |
Utica University Higher acceptance rate (17 percentage points higher) and located 45 miles away; similar graduate earnings | NY | 87% | $63,277 | Compare |
University Of Hartford Higher acceptance rate (12.9 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | CT | 83% | $60,823 | Compare |
Otis College Of Art And Design Higher acceptance rate (13.8 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | CA | 84% | $58,152 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Worcester State University Similar quality tier in Northeast (#15457 ranked) | MA | 88% | $60,624 | #15457 | Compare |
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus Similar quality tier (#15459 ranked) | NM | 92% | $38,550 | #15459 | Compare |
State University Of New York At New Paltz Similar quality tier in Northeast (#15466 ranked) | NY | 62% | $58,073 | #15466 | Compare |
University Of North Carolina At Pembroke Similar quality tier (#15428 ranked) | NC | 93% | $43,407 | #15428 | Compare |
University Of Southern Mississippi Similar quality tier (#15427 ranked) | MS | 99% | $44,140 | #15427 | Compare |
Accounting and Related Services
12 graduates
Physics
8 graduates
Mathematics
23 graduates
Biology, General
106 graduates
Business/Managerial Economics
133 graduates
Suny Oneonta's program mix is anchored in Education, a signature that reflects the institution's identity as a regional public university in upstate New York oriented toward teaching, human services, and applied social fields. Education accounts for 18% of graduates, followed by Arts at 11% and Business at 10%, together forming the core of the institution's degree output.
The highest aggregate-return program — Teacher Education — combines meaningful cohort scale with competitive four-year earnings, making it a key contributor to the institution's overall financial outcomes. The strongest-earning programs at Suny Oneonta cluster in applied and technical fields.
Azimuth ranks Biology, General #31 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $71,874 from a cohort of 106 graduates. Business/Managerial Economics follows, with Azimuth ranking the program #16 among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates earning median earnings of $70,986.
Subject-Specific Teacher Education and Criminal Justice round out the higher-earning tier, each delivering four-year earnings that exceed the institution's overall median. The most popular programs by graduate volume — Psychology, General (181 graduates), Teacher Education (179 graduates), and Communication and Media Studies (138 graduates) — reflect Suny Oneonta's orientation toward education, social sciences, and human services fields.
Many of these are grad-school-dependent or local-labor pathways — particularly in education and social work — where four-year earnings undercount longer-term trajectory for graduates who continue to licensure programs or advanced study.
