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

Lehman College's Ethnic Studies program outperforms the majority of similar programs in both New York and nationally, despite serving a predominantly working-class student body. First-year earnings of $36,292 beat the state median by over $6,000 and rank in the 60th percentile among New York programs—a significant achievement given that 61% of Lehman students receive Pell grants. The debt load of $18,896 is notably lower than typical for this field, resulting in a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52.

However, the limited sample size (fewer than 30 graduates) means these figures could shift substantially year to year. What's clear is that Lehman students carry less debt than peers at most other New York programs while earning competitive salaries. For families concerned about affordability, this combination matters more than chasing the higher earnings at elite institutions like Columbia, where the total cost of attendance would dwarf any salary differential.

For a child genuinely passionate about ethnic and cultural studies, this program offers a practical path forward. The relatively modest debt burden gives graduates financial flexibility, whether they pursue graduate school, nonprofit work, or other career paths common to this field. Just understand that the small cohort size makes these outcomes less predictable than programs with larger datasets.