Head-to-head comparison
SUNY Old Westbury vs Wagner College: which has better ROI?
Option A Old Westbury, NY
SUNY Old Westbury
- Net price / year
- $11,282
- Earnings, 10 years
- $58,526
- Payback
- 4.4 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 4.4 years at SUNY Old Westbury, on median earnings of $74,360 vs $58,526 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | SUNY Old Westbury | Wagner College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,282 | $28,241 |
| Total net cost | $45,128 | $112,964 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $58,526 | $74,360 |
| Median debt | $14,997 | $25,000 |
| Payback | 4.4 yrs | 4.3 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $158,192 | $407,036 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, SUNY Old Westbury or Wagner College?
SUNY Old Westbury, at $11,282 a year after aid versus $28,241 — a gap of $16,959 a year, or $67,836 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 SUNY Old Westbury or Wagner College graduates earn more?
Wagner College graduates report a median $74,360 ten years after entry, $15,834 more than the $58,526 at SUNY Old Westbury. 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, SUNY Old Westbury or Wagner College?
SUNY Old Westbury: its completers carry a median $14,997 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Wagner College, a difference of $10,003. 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?
65% of students finish at Wagner College, against 45% at SUNY Old Westbury. 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.