Legal Professions and Studies at Berkeley College-New York

Berkeley College's Legal Professions and Studies program sits squarely in the middle of an already concerning field. With first-year earnings of $36,131, graduates earn less than the state median of $37,434—landing at the 40th percentile among New York programs. The real problem is the debt: $42,249 is dramatically higher than both the national median ($27,000) and New York median ($32,750) for this degree. That puts graduates in the 5th percentile nationally for debt burden, meaning 95% of comparable programs saddle students with less debt.

The math is straightforward but uncomfortable. A graduate earning $36,000 while carrying $42,000 in debt faces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.17—meaning they owe more than a full year's salary. While earnings do grow 20% to $43,264 by year four, that improvement still leaves graduates trailing peers at nearby Nazareth University, who start at $38,737. For a family considering this program, the comparison is stark: similar outcomes, significantly higher debt.

This program serves a predominantly low-income population (54% Pell grant recipients), which makes the high debt burden particularly concerning. Unless your child has specific institutional scholarships or family resources to reduce borrowing, the debt load here substantially outweighs the modest earnings this degree commands.