CUNY Hunter College
CUNY Hunter College — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
CUNY Hunter College at a Glance
Hunter College is a public university in New York City, United States. It is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, and offers studies in more than one hundred undergraduate and postgraduate fields across five schools. It also administers Hunter College High School and Hunter College Elementary School.
1870
156 years old
$136M
$135.8 million
22,538
275,000 undergrad · 5,169 grad
Prestige & value signals
Identity
Is CUNY Hunter College Worth It?
CUNY Hunter College is one of the strongest value propositions in higher education. At $2,984/year net price and $63,163 median earnings, graduates earn 21.2× their annual cost within a decade of enrolling.
The investment pays for itself in just 0.2 years — among the fastest payback periods of any college we track.
A 59% graduation rate is a serious red flag — fewer than 6 in 10 students finish. Those who don't graduate may still carry student debt without the higher-earning credential to show for it.
Median student debt of $11,000 is manageable at just 17% of first-year post-graduation earnings.
Bottom line: CUNY Hunter College delivers strong financial returns that justify the investment for most students.
How CUNY Hunter College compares to peer public colleges of similar tier in NY
Ranked #1 of 14 on value score. Peers are matched by size, median earnings, SAT, and admission rate — not just geography.
| Rank | College | Value | Net price / yr | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | CUNY Hunter College | 100 | $2,984 | $63,163 |
| #2 | Foothill College | 100 | $7,653 | $57,072 |
| #3 | Skyline College | 100 | $1,738 | $55,702 |
| #4 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | 100 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| #5 | CUNY City College | 100 | $3,776 | $66,039 |
| #6 | Fashion Institute of Technology | 67 | $19,095 | $62,696 |
Peer group: public colleges within ±60% of CUNY Hunter College's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%). 4 in NY.
Best Programs at CUNY Hunter College
The highest-earning program at CUNY Hunter College is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at $91,100/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies at $20,000/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing graduate from CUNY Hunter College earns $91,100, while a Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies graduate earns $20,000. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $2,984/yr net price × 4 years
Earnings Premium
vs. national average of $53,787/yr
Payback Period
Time to recoup the total cost through higher earnings
10-Year Net Gain
Median earnings over 10 years minus total cost of attendance
Programs & Earnings by Major
Graduate earnings data by field of study (4 years after graduation):
| Major | Earnings (4yr) | Earnings (1yr) | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $91,100 | $91,100 | $15,000 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | $53,900 | $53,900 | $11,687 |
| Computer Science | $51,600 | $51,600 | $18,100 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $41,200 | $41,200 | N/A |
| Mathematics | $38,000 | $38,000 | N/A |
| Economics | $35,700 | $35,700 | $11,640 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $35,400 | $35,400 | $12,603 |
| Anthropology | $32,000 | $32,000 | N/A |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $31,800 | $31,800 | N/A |
| Political Science and Government | $31,800 | $31,800 | $17,565 |
| Sociology | $30,100 | $30,100 | $11,250 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $29,200 | $29,200 | $15,000 |
| Psychology, General | $27,700 | $27,700 | $12,500 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $26,100 | $26,100 | $13,210 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | $26,100 | $26,100 | N/A |
| Music | $25,700 | $25,700 | N/A |
| Biology, General | $24,300 | $24,300 | $10,451 |
| History | $24,100 | $24,100 | $16,122 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $23,000 | $23,000 | N/A |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $22,400 | $22,400 | $15,350 |
| Chemistry | $21,700 | $21,700 | $13,276 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $20,000 | $20,000 | N/A |
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Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- public
- Location
- New York, NY
- Student Body
- 16,289 students
- Admission Rate
- 54%
- Graduation Rate
- 59%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $2,984
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $63,163
- Median Student Debt
- $11,000