Rochester, New York Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Rochester, New York shows: median public in-state tuition $38,826 (+604.4% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $66,944 (+23.2% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 45.3% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $21,274 (+58.4% vs U.S.) 33,739 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 17 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 33,739 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $38,826 (+604.4% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $66,944 (+23.2% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 45.3% (-42.6 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $17,264 (+73.2% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $21,274 (+58.4% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $13,000
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 71.3%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 86.4%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Rochester, New York—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against New York and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Rochester vs New York & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, New York | $38,826 | $17,264 | $21,274 | 71.3% | 33,739 |
| New York (state median) | $7,340 | $9,373 | $15,215 | 56.3% | 800,389 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Rochester, New York vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, New York | $66,944 | 45.3% | 86.4% | 2.7% | — | 82.2% | 0.35 |
| New York (state median) | $60,386 | 42.9% | 81.6% | 4.0% | — | 75.8% | 0.35 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in New York (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, New York | $38,826 | $17,264 | $21,274 | 71.3% | 33,739 | $66,944 | 45.3% |
| New York | $25,731 | $28,444 | $15,398 | 71.9% | 169,649 | $61,060 | 53.6% |
| Brooklyn | $12,340 | $12,072 | $11,000 | 48.1% | 56,245 | $46,498 | 38.3% |
| Bronx | $8,750 | $13,507 | $9,696 | 56.7% | 40,728 | $65,756 | 40.4% |
| Buffalo | $19,775 | $15,386 | $21,028 | 33.3% | 36,598 | $60,681 | 43.9% |
| Albany | $17,120 | $17,167 | $19,000 | 45.7% | 26,226 | $78,493 | 48.7% |
| Albany | $17,120 | $17,167 | $19,000 | 45.7% | 26,226 | $78,493 | 48.7% |
| Syracuse | $21,758 | $20,614 | $15,000 | 73.1% | 24,683 | $62,731 | 45.5% |
| Troy | $26,761 | $22,917 | $18,625 | 69.9% | 13,586 | $80,184 | 46.8% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Rochester, New York
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private nonprofit | 5 | $66,944 | 45.3% | 86.4% | 2.7% | — | 82.2% |
Top 10 colleges in Rochester, New York by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 85.4%, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 74.2%, St. John Fisher University
St. John Fisher University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 72.8%, Nazareth University
Nazareth University
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Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 69.9%, Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
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Rank 5, Graduation Rate, 66.7%, Roberts Wesleyan University
Roberts Wesleyan University
Top 10 colleges in Rochester, New York by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 56.8%, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 53.6%, Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 45.3%, St. John Fisher University
St. John Fisher University
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 43.8%, Nazareth University
Nazareth University
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 42.6%, Roberts Wesleyan University
Roberts Wesleyan University
Top 10 most selective colleges in Rochester, New York (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 40.1%, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 66.4%, St. John Fisher University
St. John Fisher University
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 66.9%, Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
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Rank 4, Admission Rate, 70.6%, Roberts Wesleyan University
Roberts Wesleyan University
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Rank 5, Admission Rate, 74.7%, Nazareth University
Nazareth University
Top 10 colleges in Rochester, New York by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $99,878, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $94,611, Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $76,684, Nazareth University
Nazareth University
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Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $75,953, Roberts Wesleyan University
Roberts Wesleyan University
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Rank 5, Entry-Level Earnings, $73,333, St. John Fisher University
St. John Fisher University
Top 10 colleges in Rochester, New York by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $155,464, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $138,679, Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $90,146, Roberts Wesleyan University
Roberts Wesleyan University
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Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $87,529, Nazareth University
Nazareth University
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Rank 5, Early-Career Earnings, $86,470, St. John Fisher University
St. John Fisher University
Top 10 colleges in Rochester, New York by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $68,333, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $65,457, Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $61,198, St. John Fisher University
St. John Fisher University
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $56,275, Roberts Wesleyan University
Roberts Wesleyan University
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $47,717, Nazareth University
Nazareth University
Top 10 colleges in Rochester, New York by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $75,218, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $70,978, Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $62,486, St. John Fisher University
St. John Fisher University
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $55,991, Roberts Wesleyan University
Roberts Wesleyan University
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $53,205, Nazareth University
Nazareth University
Top 10 colleges in Rochester, New York by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $79,042, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $76,571, Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $66,944, St. John Fisher University
St. John Fisher University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $56,458, Nazareth University
Nazareth University
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $55,031, Roberts Wesleyan University
Roberts Wesleyan University
Top 10 colleges in Rochester, New York by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $220,258, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $206,528, Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $176,435, St. John Fisher University
St. John Fisher University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $161,636, Roberts Wesleyan University
Roberts Wesleyan University
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $110,068, Nazareth University
Nazareth University
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Rochester, New York (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $23,130, Roberts Wesleyan University
Roberts Wesleyan University
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Rank 2, Net Price, $28,945, St. John Fisher University
St. John Fisher University
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Rank 3, Net Price, $29,278, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
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Rank 4, Net Price, $29,357, Nazareth University
Nazareth University
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Rank 5, Net Price, $34,906, Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
Top 10 colleges in Rochester, New York by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 90.7%, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 88.8%, Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 86.4%, St. John Fisher University
St. John Fisher University
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Rank 4, First-Year Retention, 84.8%, Nazareth University
Nazareth University
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Rank 5, First-Year Retention, 83.6%, Roberts Wesleyan University
Roberts Wesleyan University
In-state tuition: Rochester, New York vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Rochester, New York median in-state tuition is $38,826, +604.4% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Rochester, New York vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Rochester, New York is $21,274 (+58.4% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $13,000.
Median earnings (10 years out): Rochester, New York vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Rochester, New York center around $66,944 (+23.2% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Rochester, New York vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 45.3% at the median Rochester, New York campus (-42.6 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Rochester, New York median public in-state tuition is $38,826, about +604.4% vs the national median. Versus the Mid East region, tuition is +426.0%.
Median graduate debt is $21,274 (+58.4% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Rochester, New York are $66,944, about +23.2% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 45.3% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-42.6 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 86.4% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 2.7% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 82.2% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Rochester (56.8%), Rochester Institute of Technology (53.6%), St. John Fisher University (45.3%), Nazareth University (43.8%), Roberts Wesleyan University (42.6%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Rochester, New York, sector medians diverge: Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $66,944 (5 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Rochester, New York is 71.3% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Rochester?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 17 campuses in Rochester, New York with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Rochester?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Rochester is $38,826 and median net price is $17,264. For New York overall, medians are $7,340 and $9,373; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Rochester?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Rochester is $66,944 vs $60,386 for New York and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Rochester colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Rochester is $21,274 vs $15,215 for New York and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Rochester?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include University of Rochester (graduation) and University of Rochester (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Rochester?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 17 campuses in Rochester, New York, 4 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (2), Free Methodist (1), Interdenominational (1).
Sources & related
- New York college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON