Location: Alfred, NY•In-State Tuition: $8,862•Out-of-State Tuition: $16,367•Admission Rate: 82%•Avg SAT: 1059
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$39,582
Est. from NY median (4 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$22,750
Est. from national median (19 programs)

Analysis

Is $39,582 in first-year earnings enough to justify a bachelor's degree in software and media applications? Based on comparable programs across New York, this figure sits right at the state median—though it trails badly behind what Rochester Institute of Technology grads earn ($69,052) and even falls short of NYU's outcomes by about $3,000. The estimated $22,750 in debt is actually lower than both state and national medians for this field, suggesting Alfred keeps costs relatively contained despite serving a population where 45% receive Pell grants.

The tension here is that software skills should command strong wages, yet these earnings look more like general tech support territory than software development. Similar programs nationally produce a median of $38,234, so Alfred's position isn't alarming—but it's not giving graduates an obvious regional advantage either. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57 means roughly seven months of gross pay would cover the loans, which is manageable if earnings grow quickly in years two and three.

For a family looking at this program, the practical question is whether Alfred's specific curriculum and connections justify enrollment when the earnings picture is merely average. If this were computer science at a flagship, you'd have clearer data and likely stronger outcomes. With estimates based on peer programs, you're betting on Alfred delivering something close to typical results—not exceptional, but not underwater either.

Where SUNY College of Technology at Alfred Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all computer software and media applications bachelors's programs nationally

SUNY College of Technology at Alfred (estimated ±10%)Other computer software and media applications programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs in New York

Computer Software and Media Applications bachelors's programs at peer institutions in New York (17 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
SUNY College of Technology at AlfredAlfred$8,862$39,582*—$22,750*—
Rochester Institute of TechnologyRochester$57,016$69,052*$84,214$27,000*0.39
New York UniversityNew York$60,438$42,891*—$22,750*0.53
School of Visual ArtsNew York$49,140$36,272*$57,314$27,000*0.74
The New SchoolNew York$56,386$29,550*—$25,489*0.86
National Median—$38,234*—$27,000*0.71
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with computer software and media applications graduates

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.

$171,200/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

$140,910/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Software Developers

Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.

$131,450/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Administrators

Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Database Architects

Design strategies for enterprise databases, data warehouse systems, and multidimensional networks. Set standards for database operations, programming, query processes, and security. Model, design, and construct large relational databases or data warehouses. Create and optimize data models for warehouse infrastructure and workflow. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Warehousing Specialists

Design, model, or implement corporate data warehousing activities. Program and configure warehouses of database information and provide support to warehouse users.

$123,100/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Data Managers

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Special Effects Artists and Animators

Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.

$99,800/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer Programmers

Create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software and web developers or other individuals. May develop and write computer programs to store, locate, and retrieve specific documents, data, and information.

$98,670/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Web Developers

Develop and implement websites, web applications, application databases, and interactive web interfaces. Evaluate code to ensure that it is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers and devices. Optimize website performance, scalability, and server-side code and processes. May develop website infrastructure and integrate websites with other computer applications.

$95,380/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At SUNY College of Technology at Alfred, approximately 45% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 4 similar programs in NY. Actual outcomes may vary.