Head-to-head comparison
St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens vs United States Merchant Marine Academy: which has better ROI?
Option A Rego Park, NY
St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens
- Net price / year
- $26,315
- Earnings, 10 years
- $104,403
- Payback
- 0.9 yrs
Option B Kings Point, NY
United States Merchant Marine Academy
- Net price / year
- $6,174
- Earnings, 10 years
- $90,610
- Payback
- 0.6 yrs
United States Merchant Marine Academy has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $24,696 in 0.6 years versus 0.9 years at St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens, on median earnings of $90,610 vs $104,403 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens | United States Merchant Marine Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $26,315 | $6,174 |
| Total net cost | $52,630 | $24,696 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $104,403 | $90,610 |
| Median debt | $25,730 | $8,833 |
| Payback | 0.9 yrs | 0.6 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $1,068,230 | $820,304 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens or United States Merchant Marine Academy?
United States Merchant Marine Academy, at $6,174 a year after aid versus $26,315 — a gap of $20,141 a year, or $27,934 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 St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens or United States Merchant Marine Academy graduates earn more?
St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens graduates report a median $104,403 ten years after entry, $13,793 more than the $90,610 at United States Merchant Marine Academy. 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, St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens or United States Merchant Marine Academy?
United States Merchant Marine Academy: its completers carry a median $8,833 in federal loans versus $25,730 at St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens, a difference of $16,897. 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?
82% of students finish at United States Merchant Marine Academy, against 56% at St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens. 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.