Urban Studies/Affairs at CUNY Queens College

Queens College delivers something increasingly rare in New York: an urban studies degree with virtually no debt burden. At just $12,201, graduates carry 22% less debt than the state median and barely half the national average. With first-year earnings of $43,000, students face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28—meaning they owe less than four months of their annual salary.

The earnings trajectory looks solid, climbing 29% to $55,584 by year four, which places graduates around the 60th percentile among New York urban studies programs. That means this Queens College program slightly outperforms the state median while costing dramatically less in student debt. The program also beats the national median by about $2,700 in first-year earnings despite Queens College's accessible admission profile and high Pell Grant population.

The major caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means these numbers could shift substantially in either direction with different cohorts. Still, the fundamental equation is compelling: you're getting outcomes comparable to far more expensive private colleges (Barnard and Vassar graduates earn roughly the same) while your child graduates with minimal debt. For families prioritizing affordable access to New York's urban planning and policy sectors, this program makes practical sense, though verify these numbers hold as more data becomes available.