Head-to-head comparison
CUNY Hunter College vs CUNY Bernard M Baruch College: which has better ROI?
Option A New York, NY
CUNY Hunter College
- Net price / year
- $2,984
- Earnings, 10 years
- $63,163
- Payback
- 0.8 yrs
Option B New York, NY
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
- Net price / year
- $3,033
- Earnings, 10 years
- $75,971
- Payback
- 0.4 yrs
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $12,132 in 0.4 years versus 0.8 years at CUNY Hunter College, on median earnings of $75,971 vs $63,163 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | CUNY Hunter College | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $2,984 | $3,033 |
| Total net cost | $11,936 | $12,132 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $63,163 | $75,971 |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $11,512 |
| Payback | 0.8 yrs | 0.4 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $284,124 | $540,088 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, CUNY Hunter College or CUNY Bernard M Baruch College?
CUNY Hunter College, at $2,984 a year after aid versus $3,033 — a gap of $49 a year, or $196 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 CUNY Hunter College or CUNY Bernard M Baruch College graduates earn more?
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College graduates report a median $75,971 ten years after entry, $12,808 more than the $63,163 at CUNY Hunter 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, CUNY Hunter College or CUNY Bernard M Baruch College?
CUNY Hunter College: its completers carry a median $11,000 in federal loans versus $11,512 at CUNY Bernard M Baruch College, a difference of $512. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
72% of students finish at CUNY Bernard M Baruch College, against 57% at CUNY Hunter 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.