Head-to-head comparison
Adelphi University vs Wagner College: which has better ROI?
Option A Garden City, NY
Adelphi University
- Net price / year
- $30,783
- Earnings, 10 years
- $75,482
- Payback
- 4.5 yrs
Option B Staten Island, NY
Wagner College
- Net price / year
- $28,241
- Earnings, 10 years
- $74,360
- Payback
- 4.3 yrs
Wagner College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $112,964 in 4.3 years versus 4.5 years at Adelphi University, on median earnings of $74,360 vs $75,482 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Adelphi University | Wagner College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $30,783 | $28,241 |
| Total net cost | $123,132 | $112,964 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $75,482 | $74,360 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Payback | 4.5 yrs | 4.3 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $419,308 | $407,036 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Adelphi University or Wagner College?
Wagner College, at $28,241 a year after aid versus $30,783 — a gap of $2,542 a year, or $10,168 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Adelphi University or Wagner College graduates earn more?
Adelphi University graduates report a median $75,482 ten years after entry, $1,122 more than the $74,360 at Wagner College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Adelphi University or Wagner College?
Completers at both borrow a median $25,000, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
67% of students finish at Adelphi University, against 65% at Wagner College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.