Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies at CUNY City College

CUNY City College's Ethnic Studies program starts below both national and state medians, with first-year earnings of just $27,000—well behind the state median of $30,000 and in the 21st percentile nationally. That's the bad news. The good news? This program shows exceptional earnings growth, jumping 65% to $44,000 by year four, ultimately surpassing not only state and national medians but also matching more expensive private options. With manageable debt under $21,000 (below the national median), graduates face a comfortable 0.76 debt-to-earnings ratio even in that challenging first year.

For context, this program sits middle-of-the-pack among New York's 45 similar programs (40th percentile), trailing prestigious options like Columbia but performing comparably to other CUNY campuses. The real question is whether your family can handle those lean early years. The trajectory suggests graduates either pursue additional credentials, transition into higher-paying sectors, or slowly advance in their chosen fields—but there's clearly a path to solid middle-class earnings.

If your child has a genuine passion for this field and you can provide financial support during those first couple years out of college, the combination of low debt and strong long-term growth makes this workable. Just understand that meaningful earnings arrive later than in more immediately lucrative majors.