ROI Major

International Business at State University of New York at New Paltz

NY · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 52.11

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a International Business degree from State University of New York at New Paltz earn a median salary of $71,251 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $53,978. The degree typically pays for itself in 6.7 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$52,636

Typical Career

$71,251

Top Performers

$91,565

Estimated break-even: 6.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$475

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,938. Most students can comfortably afford about a $475 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.8x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 22.5%
Health Care & Social Assistance 18.2%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 10.5%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$53,978

Nominal: $71,251 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% lower purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

6.7 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $29,410 $41,544 $55,150
5 Years After Graduation $52,636 $71,251 $91,565
10 Years After Graduation $67,570 $97,638 $127,359

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $71,251 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $71,251 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200) = $53,978 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates from the International Business program at State University of New York at New Paltz experience a notable earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $41,544, which increases to $71,251 five years post-graduation and reaches $97,638 after a decade. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary approximates $53,978.03, indicating that while initial salaries may be lower than the national average, the long-term financial outlook remains positive, especially as graduates gain experience and advance in their careers.

The top industries for graduates include Educational Services (22.5%), Health Care & Social Assistance (18.2%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (10.5%). This diverse range of sectors suggests that graduates have ample opportunities to apply their skills in various fields. Considering the estimated break-even point of approximately 6.7 years compared to a high-school-only path, pursuing a degree in International Business at SUNY New Paltz appears to offer a favorable return on investment, particularly for those willing to navigate the initial years post-graduation.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the International Business degree at State University of New York at New Paltz stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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