Statistics at St Lawrence University

With New York's statistics programs typically producing first-year earnings around $82,500—including Cornell's reported figure at that level—St. Lawrence's estimated $59,700 outcome based on national benchmarks suggests this liberal arts setting may not match the earning power of more research-intensive competitors. That $23,000 gap is substantial, especially in a field where quantitative skills command premium salaries in major metro areas.

The estimated debt load of $16,875 keeps the math manageable, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 meaning graduates would dedicate roughly three months of pre-tax income to loans. That's reasonable leverage by any measure. However, the real question is whether a Statistics degree from a small liberal arts college in rural New York positions graduates for the data science and analytics roles that drive those six-figure salaries seen at peer New York institutions, or whether the curriculum and recruiting pipelines differ enough to explain the earnings gap.

For families paying St. Lawrence's full price tag, the investment calculus depends heavily on whether your student values the small-school experience over maximum career earnings. The debt appears sustainable, but you'd want to understand specifically how this program connects graduates to employers—particularly whether they're landing roles in New York City's finance and tech sectors or settling into different career paths entirely.