Public Policy Analysis at Siena College

Is the $27,000 debt burden worth it for a public policy degree from Siena? Based on comparable programs in New York, first-year earnings around $56,000 suggest a reasonable financial starting point. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48 means graduates would owe roughly half their first-year salary—manageable by most standards and well below the national median debt for this field. The $27,000 figure itself sits higher than both the state and national medians for public policy programs, but it's not in dangerous territory.

The challenge is that we're working with limited visibility here. The earnings estimate comes from just three New York programs reporting data, and Siena's actual outcomes could differ substantially. What we do know is that top programs like Cornell place graduates at nearly $78,000, while Empire State University—a public institution—reports about $53,000. Where Siena falls in that range depends on factors the data can't tell us: the strength of their regional network, internship pipelines to Albany's government sector, and alumni placement support.

For parents, the key question is whether this investment makes sense given the uncertainty. The debt burden is modest enough that it won't be crushing even if earnings come in below the estimate. But if your student has admission offers from SUNY programs with similar placement prospects, the cost difference deserves serious consideration.