Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks The New School #1429 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $13,610 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing The New School in the 12.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks The New School #1031 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks The New School #1429 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private doctoral university in New York, NY, New School enrolls roughly 6,563 undergraduates. Retention is 84.8% and the six-year graduation rate is 69.4%, reflecting the institution's ability to support students through degree completion in a specialized, arts-focused environment. The New School draws strength from its distinctive mission in visual and performing arts. The institution's program portfolio centers on Visual & Performing Arts, which shapes both its student body and its economic outcomes. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $56,719. The New School sits in the 12.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, meaning graduates earn about $13,610 less than similar students at comparable institutions — a meaningful signal given the creative-field focus where earnings trajectories often diverge from traditional business or engineering pathways. Access and affordability shape the composite positioning. The New School enrolls 15.0% Pell-eligible undergraduates and 19.4% first-generation students, reflecting a student body drawn from varied economic backgrounds despite the institution's private status. Return on investment sits in the 30.3 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, while affordability and access sit lower in the composite. For students committed to creative fields and willing to navigate the earnings variability that accompanies arts-focused study, New School offers a specialized pathway with outcomes that outperform expectations relative to comparable institutions.
The New School's published cost of attendance is $88,284. Net price by income band varies meaningfully across the spectrum: low-income families pay approximately $50,140, middle-income families pay around $56,494, and higher-income families pay approximately $64,738. Azimuth ranks The New School #1408 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. The New School's aid structure combines need-based grants, merit scholarships, and federal and private loan options. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA and CSS Profile. The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs to help bridge the gap between sticker price and what families pay. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,266, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $57,040; 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 $56,719, median federal debt of $22,266 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.
The New School is a strong fit for students drawn to the visual and performing arts who want a private nonprofit university experience in New York, NY. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $56,719, placing The New School in the 31.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. They earn about $13,610 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing The New School in the 12.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls 15.0% of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and 19.4% who are first-generation students. Published cost of attendance is $64,738, with median federal debt at graduation of $22,266. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 63.5% admit rate makes the application process selective, and the program mix favors Visual & Performing Arts fields (62% of degrees). Students whose interests align with these areas will find the strongest outcomes.
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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This is the The New School 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.
The New School's published cost of attendance is $88,284. Net price by income band varies meaningfully across the spectrum: low-income families pay approximately $50,140, middle-income families pay around $56,494, and higher-income families pay approximately $64,738.
Azimuth ranks The New School #1408 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.
The New School's aid structure combines need-based grants, merit scholarships, and federal and private loan options. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA and CSS Profile.
The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs to help bridge the gap between sticker price and what families pay. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,266, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $57,040; 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 $56,719, median federal debt of $22,266 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 the New School earn median 4-year earnings of $56,719, placing the institution in the 31.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $13,610 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing The New School in the 12.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks The New School #1031 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects The New School's concentration in Visual & Performing Arts.
Design and Applied Arts is the largest program with 476 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $56,838. The Computer Software program graduates 174 students earning median 4-year earnings of $75,792, and Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management supports 150 graduates with median 4-year earnings of $74,936.
Film/Video and Photographic Arts and Music round out the core program portfolio.
Computer Software and Media Applications
174 graduates
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
150 graduates
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
55 graduates
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
90 graduates
Design and Applied Arts
476 graduates
The New School's program mix is anchored in visual and performing arts, design, and creative media—a portfolio shaped by the institution's identity as an arts and design university in New York City. Design and Applied Arts is the largest program with 476 graduates, followed by Computer Software, Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, Film/Video and Photographic Arts, and Music.
Across ranked programs serving roughly 1,615 students annually, several deliver strong four-year earnings outcomes that reflect the institution's creative-industry positioning. The earnings pattern reflects The New School's strength in applied creative fields.
Computer Software graduates earn median four-year earnings of $75,792, while Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management graduates earn $74,936 and Radio, Television, and Digital Communication graduates earn $64,018. These outcomes reflect the direct-to-workforce pathways common in design, media production, and performing arts, where graduates enter creative industries and cultural institutions in New York's dense employment market.
General Studies and Design and Applied Arts round out the institution's highest-earning programs, demonstrating consistent earnings across the creative and applied-design portfolio. The program-mix signature—concentrated in Arts at 62%, Social Sciences at 3%, and Business at 6%—reflects The New School's positioning as a specialized arts and design institution.
The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how the institution's dominant program families align with labor-market demand in creative sectors and cultural industries.
Explore alternatives with comparable outcomes based on location, selectivity, and value:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Marymount Manhattan College Higher acceptance rate (16.4 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 3 miles away; similar graduate earnings | NY | 79% | $49,131 | Compare |
Suny At Purchase College Higher acceptance rate (10.3 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 26 miles away; similar graduate earnings | NY | 73% | $45,092 | Compare |
University Of Hartford Higher acceptance rate (20.5 percentage points higher) with similar program focus and located 99 miles away; similar graduate earnings | CT | 83% | $60,823 | Compare |
Suny At Fredonia Higher acceptance rate (16.7 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | NY | 79% | $54,247 | Compare |
Fitchburg State University Higher acceptance rate (27.4 percentage points higher) with similar program focus; similar graduate earnings | MA | 90% | $53,874 | Compare |
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Benedictine College Similar quality tier (#36186 ranked) | KS | 98% | $53,175 | #36186 | Compare |
High Point University Similar quality tier (#36195 ranked) | NC | 75% | $61,389 | #36195 | Compare |
Savannah College Of Art And Design Similar quality tier (#36153 ranked) | GA | 83% | $45,954 | #36153 | Compare |
Palm Beach Atlantic University Similar quality tier (#36134 ranked) | FL | 82% | $49,232 | #36134 | Compare |
Southeastern University Similar quality tier (#36132 ranked) | FL | 53% | $46,744 | #36132 | Compare |
