New York University: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
New York University is a private nonprofit college in New York, NY. Students pay about $37,050 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $82,509 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 4.7 years and adds $189,390 over a decade, ranking it #86 of 918 (top 10%) by value added.
What is New York University's acceptance rate?
New York University has an acceptance rate of 9.2%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in New York, NY enrolling about 28,663 students, with a 88.0% graduation rate.
How much does New York University cost?
New York University costs about $37,050 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $168,700. Published sticker cost of attendance is $84,374 per year.
How much do New York University graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median New York University student earns $82,509 per year. That is $35,809 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is New York University worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
New York University pays back its roughly $168,700 cost in about 4.7 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $189,390 net of cost, a 2.12x return on the money invested. That ranks it #86 of 918 (top 10%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
New York University graduation rate and student debt
88.0% of New York University students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $20,500 in federal student debt. That debt is about 25% of one year of median graduate earnings.
New York University by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How New York University compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $37,050 | $20,299 | cheaper than 8% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $82,509 | $54,768 | 91th |
| Graduation rate | 88.0% | 57.0% | 94th |
| Acceptance rate | 9.2% | 75.7% | more selective than 98% |
| 10-yr value added | $189,390 | -$28,192 | 91th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 2.12x | 0.73x | 84th |
| Payback period | 4.7 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 80% |
How New York University compares with its nearest rivals
New York University ranks #86 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 5 of them cost less per year and 3 of them produce higher median earnings ten years after entry.
New York University is a private nonprofit college in New York, NY with 28,663 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $84,374 a year, but the average aided family pays $37,050, a 56% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $20,500, equal to 25% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Getting in is the binding constraint at New York University: 9.2% of applicants are admitted.
- Amherst College (Amherst, MA; #80 of 918; 93.7% graduate) costs $13,683 less per year ($23,367 net), and its graduates earn $4,865 less ten years out ($77,644). Amherst College adds $12,842 more ten-year value than New York University. Amherst College pays back its cost in 3.5 years.
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick (New Brunswick, NJ; #105 of 918; 84.3% graduate) costs $12,644 less per year ($24,406 net), and its graduates earn $8,030 less ten years out ($74,479). New York University adds $30,724 more ten-year value than Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Rutgers University-New Brunswick pays back its cost in 4.3 years.
- Boston University (Boston, MA; #66 of 918; 89.3% graduate) costs $12,648 less per year ($24,402 net), and its graduates earn about the same ten years out ($83,238). Boston University adds $55,132 more ten-year value than New York University. Boston University pays back its cost in 3.3 years.
- George Washington University (Washington, DC; #50 of 918; 84.5% graduate) costs about the same per year ($36,586 net), and its graduates earn $8,364 more ten years out ($90,873). George Washington University adds $85,547 more ten-year value than New York University. George Washington University pays back its cost in 3.8 years.
- Trinity College (Hartford, CT; #49 of 918; 83.3% graduate) costs $2,218 less per year ($34,832 net), and its graduates earn $8,270 more ten years out ($90,779). Trinity College adds $89,072 more ten-year value than New York University. Trinity College pays back its cost in 3.7 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity College | #49 | $34,832 | $90,779 | 83.3% | $278,462 |
| George Washington University | #50 | $36,586 | $90,873 | 84.5% | $274,937 |
| Boston University | #66 | $24,402 | $83,238 | 89.3% | $244,522 |
| Amherst College | #80 | $23,367 | $77,644 | 93.7% | $202,232 |
| New York University | #86 | $37,050 | $82,509 | 88.0% | $189,390 |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick | #105 | $24,406 | $74,479 | 84.3% | $158,666 |
Paying for New York University
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is New York University worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, New York University ranks #86 of 918 (top 10%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 2.12x the money invested over a decade.
Is New York University expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $37,050 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 8% of them.
Do New York University graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $82,509 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 91% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into New York University compared to other colleges?
Its 9.2% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 98% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.