Syracuse University

Syracuse University's published cost of attendance is $84,517. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $15,817, middle-income families pay around $21,132, and higher-income families pay approximately $55,401.

Azimuth ranks Syracuse University #1356 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.

Syracuse participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA and CSS Profile.

The institution's aid structure combines need-based scholarships with work-study and loan components; the mix of grants versus loans varies by family circumstances and demonstrated financial need. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $26,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $39,841; 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 $79,406, median federal debt of $26,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $294 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 Syracuse University earn median 4-year earnings of $79,406, placing Syracuse University in the 86.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $2,251 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Syracuse University in the 48.3 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Syracuse University #259 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Syracuse University's concentration in business and professional fields.

Psychology, General is the largest program with 265 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $65,694, representing 1.3× the national benchmark for the field. The Finance program graduates 227 students with median 4-year earnings of $120,274, and Economics delivers median 4-year earnings of $83,649 across 226 graduates.

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication and Information Science/Studies round out the top programs, with graduates earning $90,535 and $104,842 respectively. This program mix — anchored in Business — supports solid early-career earnings and positions graduates for sustained income growth through the first decade after enrollment.

Syracuse University's program mix is anchored in business, communications, and professional fields—a portfolio shaped by the institution's identity as a career-focused private university. Psychology, General is the largest program with 265 graduates, followed by Finance, Economics, Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, and Information Science/Studies.

Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 4,190 students annually, several deliver strong four-year earnings outcomes aligned with professional and applied-business pathways. The earnings pattern reflects Syracuse University's concentration in Business.

Finance leads with median earnings of $120,274 four years after enrollment across 227 graduates, followed by Information Science/Studies at $104,842 with 188 graduates and Business Administration at $91,472 with 128 graduates. Digital Marketing and Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication round out the highest-earning programs, delivering $91,235 and $90,535 respectively.

These outcomes reflect direct-to-workforce pathways where graduates enter professional and business roles with immediate labor-market demand. The institution's program-mix signature—with Business representing 16% of degrees, Social Sciences at 14%, and Arts at 7%—positions Syracuse University as a professional-education-oriented institution where career outcomes are central to program design.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these dominant program families align with national labor-market demand and wage trends.