The New School
The New School — Earnings vs Cost (vs National Average)
The New School at a Glance
The New School is a private research university in New York City, New York, United States. It was founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research with a mission dedicated to academic freedom and intellectual inquiry and a home for progressive education. Since then, the school has grown to house four divisions. These include the Parsons School of Design, the Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, the College of Performing Arts and The New School for Social Research.
Is The New School Worth It?
At a value score of 16/100, The New School is a below-average value relative to its cost. Graduates earn $52,901 — 2% below average — while paying $58,741/year. Consider alternatives with better earnings-to-cost ratios.
With a 4.4-year payback period, most graduates recoup their total cost of attendance relatively quickly.
The 70% graduation rate means roughly 30% of students leave without a degree — taking on debt without the earnings boost that completion brings.
Bottom line: consider whether the specific program you're interested in at The New School has outcomes that justify the cost — the institution-wide numbers suggest caution.
How The New School compares to peer private nonprofit colleges of similar tier in NY
Ranked #35 of 39 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 | University of Tulsa | 74 | $15,000 | $61,408 |
| #2 | Lewis University | 63 | $17,028 | $66,099 |
| #3 | St. Joseph's University-New York | 56 | $19,035 | $63,905 |
| #4 | University of La Verne | 52 | $20,161 | $65,464 |
| #5 | Calvin University | 48 | $22,992 | $58,375 |
| #6 | Mercer University | 44 | $23,847 | $58,354 |
| #35 | The New School | 16 | $58,741 | $52,901 |
Peer group: private nonprofit colleges within ±60% of The New School's student body size and within a similar academic tier (SAT ±80, admit rate ±10pp, median earnings ±25%). 4 in NY.
Best Programs at The New School
The highest-earning program at The New School is Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management at $43,500/year (4 years after graduation). The lowest is Music at $16,500/year.
Your major matters more than the school name — a Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management graduate from The New School earns $43,500, while a Music graduate earns $16,500. That's more than a 2× difference from the same institution. Choose your program carefully — it's the single biggest lever you control.
Debt also varies by program: Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management graduates carry $26,819 in median debt vs. $23,875 for Music.
Return on Investment
Estimated 4-Year Cost
Based on $58,741/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management | $43,500 | $43,500 | $26,819 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $33,200 | $33,200 | $25,000 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $31,100 | $31,100 | $27,000 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $25,600 | $25,600 | $27,000 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $25,300 | $25,300 | $25,000 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $24,700 | $24,700 | $22,750 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $22,700 | $22,700 | $25,975 |
| Literature | $19,400 | $19,400 | $23,625 |
| Music | $16,500 | $16,500 | $23,875 |
Similar Colleges in NY
Quick Facts
- Institution Type
- private
- Location
- New York, NY
- Student Body
- 6,563 students
- Admission Rate
- 63%
- Graduation Rate
- 70%
- Net Price (Annual)
- $58,741
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $52,901
- Median Student Debt
- $22,266