Public Health at New York University

NYU's Public Health bachelor's comes with a puzzling disconnect: you're paying elite-school tuition (9% admission rate, 1527 average SAT) but getting middle-of-the-road outcomes. At $37,573 in first-year earnings, graduates earn slightly less than the national median and trail the New York state median by $1,600—landing in just the 40th percentile among New York programs. CUNY Hunter College graduates, with far lower admission standards and tuition costs, out-earn NYU Public Health grads by nearly $10,000 annually.

The debt situation offers the one bright spot here: at $19,000, it's substantially below both national and state medians of $26,000, though this still ranks in the 82nd percentile nationally. The 0.51 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable, meaning graduates can reasonably handle their loan payments. However, this lower debt likely reflects students from wealthier families (only 19% receive Pell grants) who need less borrowing rather than the program being particularly affordable.

For families considering NYU's premium price tag, this program doesn't deliver premium returns. If your child is drawn to public health in New York, several SUNY and CUNY options will cost less and likely lead to better starting salaries. NYU's brand and campus experience may have value beyond the salary data, but financially speaking, this represents a significant compromise on the return side of the investment equation.