Head-to-head comparison
Vassar College vs Eastern Suffolk BOCES: which has better ROI?
Option A Poughkeepsie, NY
Vassar College
- Net price / year
- $39,343
- Earnings, 10 years
- $71,366
- Payback
- 6.8 yrs
Option B Sayville, NY
Eastern Suffolk BOCES
- Net price / year
- $24,557
- Earnings, 10 years
- $63,394
- Payback
- 6.5 yrs
Eastern Suffolk BOCES has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $98,228 in 6.5 years versus 6.8 years at Vassar College, on median earnings of $63,394 vs $71,366 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Vassar College | Eastern Suffolk BOCES |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $39,343 | $24,557 |
| Total net cost | $157,372 | $98,228 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $71,366 | $63,394 |
| Median debt | $18,625 | $9,500 |
| Payback | 6.8 yrs | 6.5 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $302,748 | $202,452 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Vassar College or Eastern Suffolk BOCES?
Eastern Suffolk BOCES, at $24,557 a year after aid versus $39,343 — a gap of $14,786 a year, or $59,144 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 Vassar College or Eastern Suffolk BOCES graduates earn more?
Vassar College graduates report a median $71,366 ten years after entry, $7,972 more than the $63,394 at Eastern Suffolk BOCES. 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, Vassar College or Eastern Suffolk BOCES?
Eastern Suffolk BOCES: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $18,625 at Vassar College, a difference of $9,125. 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?
91% of students finish at Vassar College, against 77% at Eastern Suffolk BOCES. 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.