Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies at SUNY at Purchase College

SUNY Purchase's writing program produces surprisingly weak outcomes that should worry any parent looking at tuition bills. A $16,556 first-year salary ranks in just the 10th percentile among New York writing programs—only 4 of 38 similar programs in the state produce lower earnings. To put that in perspective, graduates earn $9,000 less than the New York median and roughly half what Columbia or St. Joseph's graduates make in their first year.

The 46% earnings growth sounds impressive until you realize it only lifts graduates to $24,240 by year four—still below what peers at SUNY Oswego earn immediately after graduation. While the $23,250 debt load sits slightly below state and national averages, it's still 40% higher than first-year earnings, creating a challenging financial start for graduates entering fields like publishing, marketing, or education where entry salaries are already modest.

This program's poor performance relative to other New York options is the key concern. Even accounting for Purchase's 73% admission rate and more accessible profile, there are state school alternatives like SUNY Oswego that deliver $28,000+ starting salaries with similar accessibility. Unless your child has compelling non-financial reasons to attend Purchase specifically, other SUNY writing programs offer significantly better returns on the same in-state tuition investment.