Head-to-head comparison
Wagner College vs D'Youville University: which has better ROI?
Option A Staten Island, NY
Wagner College
- Net price / year
- $28,241
- Earnings, 10 years
- $74,360
- Payback
- 4.3 yrs
Option B Buffalo, NY
D'Youville University
- Net price / year
- $20,433
- Earnings, 10 years
- $66,942
- Payback
- 4.4 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 D'Youville University, on median earnings of $74,360 vs $66,942 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Wagner College | D'Youville University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $28,241 | $20,433 |
| Total net cost | $112,964 | $81,732 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $74,360 | $66,942 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Payback | 4.3 yrs | 4.4 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $407,036 | $289,908 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Wagner College or D'Youville University?
D'Youville University, at $20,433 a year after aid versus $28,241 — a gap of $7,808 a year, or $31,232 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 Wagner College or D'Youville University graduates earn more?
Wagner College graduates report a median $74,360 ten years after entry, $7,418 more than the $66,942 at D'Youville University. 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, Wagner College or D'Youville University?
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 D'Youville 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.