Security Science and Technology at CUNY Graduate School and University Center

A debt load of $24,000 against first-year earnings around $36,000 produces a manageable ratio of 0.68—meaning graduates from comparable programs typically owe less than 70% of their starting salary. That's better than many bachelor's degrees, though this program appears to trail both the national median ($39,252) and top New York competitors by several thousand dollars. CUNY John Jay's security science graduates, for example, earn roughly $44,000 their first year out, giving them an $8,000 head start over what peer programs suggest for this institution.

The challenge here is visibility: with suppressed outcome data, you're making decisions based on what similar programs across New York typically produce rather than this specific program's track record. That's not necessarily a red flag—small cohorts are common in specialized fields—but it does mean you're operating with less certainty than you would at schools with published outcomes. The estimated figures suggest a workable financial outcome, but the performance gap between comparable programs and top performers in the state is significant enough to warrant direct questions to the school about job placement rates and employer partnerships.

If your child is committed to security science and values CUNY's urban location and network, the projected debt-to-earnings picture won't create a crisis. But if flexibility matters or if other strong programs are accessible, schools with documented outcomes above $40,000 offer both more certainty and better early earnings potential.