SUNY Buffalo State University — ROI, Cost & Payback
SUNY Buffalo State University charges a net price of $11,346/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $45,384. Graduates earn a median $52,334 ten years after entry, $3,974/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 11.4 years — a 20-year net return of $34,096, a slow but positive payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
SUNY Buffalo State University's 11.4-year payback ranks #846 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 34% of them, and #91 of 203 in New York.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $11,346/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $45,384 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $52,334 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $3,974/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $21,028 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 11.4 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $34,096 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
How we compute this. Payback = total net cost ÷ annual earnings premium, where the premium is median earnings 10 years after entry minus the $48,360 baseline (BLS 2024 median for a high-school-diploma worker 25+). Total net cost = net price × 4 years. We do not discount future dollars. The institution-wide earnings figure blends every major — a specific program's payback can be far better or worse. Full method on the methodology page.