Rankings / Online
Best Online Business Programs in New York
- 50
- Schools
- $50,174
- Avg. Earnings
- 44%
- Avg. Graduation
- $14,721
- Avg. Net Price
- $16,395
- Avg. Debt
CollegeRanker Research
What Surprised Us Most
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Median graduate earnings across these 50 schools run from $32,568 to $77,789, a 2.4× gap. The category label alone says little about payoff.
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CUNY Brooklyn College delivers the most for the money: roughly $60,752 in median earnings against $3,103 a year in net price, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio on the list.
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The most affordable option, CUNY Brooklyn College ($3,103 net price), still posts $60,752 in earnings, at or above the list average. Paying more does not guarantee a better outcome.
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Yeshiva University graduates 83% of its students, versus a 44% average across the list. Completion, more than selectivity, signals whether a degree actually gets finished.
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CUNY Kingsborough Community College carries the healthiest debt load, with graduates owing just 0.17× their annual earnings.
Surprising Comparisons
- #1 Empire State University ($54,080 earnings) outranks the list's highest earner, Molloy University ($77,789), because it does more on mobility and cost.
- CUNY Brooklyn College costs $3,103 a year and Yeshiva University costs $49,965. Yet their graduates earn $60,752 and $71,353, nowhere near the $46,862 price gap.
- On value, CUNY Brooklyn College beats Molloy University: comparable career payoff at a fraction of the net price.
The Takeaway
The schools that win this ranking are not the priciest or the most selective. They turn students into earners without burying them in debt, which is exactly what our outcomes-first methodology is built to surface.
What This Means for Students
If you are choosing from this list, start with CUNY Brooklyn College and Yeshiva University. Pull each school's net price for your income band, weigh projected earnings against the debt you would take on, and let payoff rather than prestige drive your shortlist.
Why this ranking matters
Business is one of the higher-return fields in the economy, but the payoff depends heavily on where you study it. Graduates of these programs earn a median of about $50K within a decade, and management analyst roles are projected to grow 10%. We rank programs by the outcomes they produce for graduates, not by reputation.
How we measure this — full methodology →How we rank · 4 pillars
Federal-source data only. Build your own weighting →
Data Behind This Page Updated 2026-07-20
Source datasets
Methodology
Schools are scored on the CollegeRanker 4-Pillar Algorithm: Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25–35%), Academic Quality (15–20%), and Value (20–25%). Every weight is published and every figure traces to a public dataset.
See the full methodology and weights →Confidence notes
- Earnings, completion, and debt figures come from federal administrative records — tax data and student-aid filings — not surveys or self-reports, the highest-confidence tier of education data available.
- Social-mobility estimates are drawn from de-identified tax records covering more than 30 million students (Opportunity Insights).
- Where an institution is missing a metric, it is excluded from that metric rather than imputed, so averages are never inflated by guesses.
Limitations
- Federal earnings data primarily cover students who received federal financial aid; outcomes for non-aided students may differ.
- Earnings are measured roughly ten years after enrollment, so they describe how earlier cohorts fared — historical outcomes, not guarantees of future results.
- An institution's field-of-study mix affects raw earnings; scores reflect measured outcomes and are not fully major-adjusted unless explicitly noted.
- Net price is an average; the actual cost a given student pays varies widely by family income.
At a Glance
How the Top Schools Compare
| School | Earnings | Net Price | Graduation | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Empire State University #1 overall | $54,080 ▲ +8% vs avg | $11,676 | 34% | 100 |
| 2 Bryant & Stratton College-Online #2 overall | $32,568 ▼ -35% vs avg | $15,187 | 21% | 100 |
| 3 Metropolitan College of New York #3 overall | $46,236 ▼ -8% vs avg | $28,882 | 28% | 100 |
| $47,860 ▼ -5% vs avg | $15,268 | 41% | 100 | |
| $63,277 ▲ +26% vs avg | $19,108 | 56% | 100 |
Score uses our 4-pillar methodology. Earnings % is vs. this list's average.
See full ranking →Executive Summary
Best Online Business Programs in New York
This analysis ranks 50 institutions on graduate earnings, social mobility, completion, and cost. Across the list, alumni earn a median of $50,174 ten years after enrolling, against an average graduation rate of 44% and an average net price of $14,721.
Key takeaways
- Strongest Earnings-to-Cost Ratio: CUNY Brooklyn College — Net Price: $3,103 | Graduation Rate: 55%
- Strongest Completion Outcomes: Yeshiva University — 83% completion rate
- Highest Earnings Generator: Molloy University — Median alumni earnings: $77,789
CollegeRanker Primary Research
The most expensive quartile of colleges costs 373% more than the most affordable — but their graduates earn just 34% more.
Management Education Analysis
What does this ranking tell us about leadership and management education?
$49,078
Median earnings (10yr)
35%
Median graduation rate
$13,985
Median net price
2.6%
Avg. mobility rate
Business and MBA programs sell acceleration: faster paths into management, bigger networks, and a salary step-change. The return is famously dispersed, though. A handful of programs deliver enormous ROI through placement and alumni networks, while many barely clear the cost of attendance. Management education is less a single product than a wide spectrum of outcomes.
Across the 50 schools on this list, graduates earn a median of $49,078 ten years after they first enrolled, about $1,078 more than the roughly $48,000 a typical American worker takes home. The median graduation rate is 35%. Net price, what students pay after grants, runs a median of $13,985 a year, with about $14,465 in median federal debt at graduation. An average of 38% of students receive Pell grants, and the typical school moves low-income students into the top income quintile at a rate of 2.6%.
What we’re seeing: value concentrates where networks and employer pipelines are strongest, and ROI varies more here than in almost any other field. Median earnings reach $49,078 ten years after enrollment, with Empire State University at the top of the list. The spread between the best programs and the median is the real story of an MBA.
The podium
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Full rankings
Why it ranks #1
Empire State University lands at #1 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (70/100) and pulled down by academic quality (49/100). Graduates earn a median $54,080 a decade after enrolling, 8% above this list's average, and net price runs $11,676 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #2
Bryant & Stratton College-Online lands at #2 with a 100/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (52/100) and pulled down by academic quality (31/100). Graduates earn a median $32,568 a decade after enrolling, 35% below this list's average, and net price runs $15,187 a year. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #3
Metropolitan College of New York lands at #3 with a 100/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (58/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (31/100). Graduates earn a median $46,236 a decade after enrolling, 8% below this list's average, and net price runs $28,882 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #4
SUNY College of Technology at Canton lands at #4 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by academic quality (57/100). Graduates earn a median $47,860 a decade after enrolling, 5% below this list's average, and net price runs $15,268 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #5
Utica University lands at #5 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (54/100). Graduates earn a median $63,277 a decade after enrolling, 26% above this list's average, and net price runs $19,108 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #6
Keuka College lands at #6 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (85/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (42/100). Graduates earn a median $58,289 a decade after enrolling, 16% above this list's average, and net price runs $24,338 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #7
SUNY Polytechnic Institute lands at #7 with a 100/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (72/100) and pulled down by academic quality (60/100). Graduates earn a median $64,355 a decade after enrolling, 28% above this list's average, and net price runs $14,164 a year. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #8
Cayuga County Community College lands at #8 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (82/100) and pulled down by academic quality (44/100). Graduates earn a median $38,709 a decade after enrolling, 23% below this list's average, and net price runs $8,662 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #9
Bryant & Stratton College-Syracuse North lands at #9 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (52/100) and pulled down by academic quality (43/100). Graduates earn a median $32,568 a decade after enrolling, 35% below this list's average, and net price runs $15,217 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #10
Niagara University lands at #10 with a 100/100 composite, led by academic quality (81/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (59/100). Graduates earn a median $56,196 a decade after enrolling, 12% above this list's average, and net price runs $17,248 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #11
CUNY Kingsborough Community College lands at #11 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (89/100) and pulled down by social mobility (47/100). Graduates earn a median $42,621 a decade after enrolling, 15% below this list's average, and net price runs $5,606 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Plattsburgh, NY · 78% accepted · $17,156 net
Why it ranks #12
State University of New York at Plattsburgh lands at #12 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (92/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (61/100). Graduates earn a median $56,403 a decade after enrolling, 12% above this list's average, and net price runs $17,156 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #13
Finger Lakes Community College lands at #13 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (71/100) and pulled down by social mobility (51/100). Graduates earn a median $40,054 a decade after enrolling, 20% below this list's average, and net price runs $13,898 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #14
Touro University lands at #14 with a 100/100 composite, led by academic quality (70/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (48/100). Graduates earn a median $53,419 a decade after enrolling, 6% above this list's average, and net price runs $29,627 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #15
Daemen University lands at #15 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (57/100). Graduates earn a median $61,808 a decade after enrolling, 23% above this list's average, and net price runs $18,693 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #16
CUNY Lehman College lands at #16 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (89/100) and pulled down by academic quality (58/100). Graduates earn a median $58,013 a decade after enrolling, 16% above this list's average, and net price runs $3,148 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #17
SUNY College of Technology at Delhi lands at #17 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by academic quality (58/100). Graduates earn a median $51,629 a decade after enrolling, 3% above this list's average, and net price runs $17,225 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #18
Houghton University lands at #18 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (50/100). Graduates earn a median $46,721 a decade after enrolling, 7% below this list's average, and net price runs $20,519 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #19
St Bonaventure University lands at #19 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (40/100). Graduates earn a median $57,214 a decade after enrolling, 14% above this list's average, and net price runs $27,074 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #20
Hudson Valley Community College lands at #20 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (81/100) and pulled down by academic quality (50/100). Graduates earn a median $45,460 a decade after enrolling, 9% below this list's average, and net price runs $8,501 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #21
Mercy University lands at #21 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by academic quality (56/100). Graduates earn a median $52,055 a decade after enrolling, 4% above this list's average, and net price runs $14,072 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #22
SUNY Brockport lands at #22 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (60/100). Graduates earn a median $54,496 a decade after enrolling, 9% above this list's average, and net price runs $16,353 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #23
Genesee Community College lands at #23 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (81/100) and pulled down by academic quality (45/100). Graduates earn a median $39,674 a decade after enrolling, 21% below this list's average, and net price runs $8,334 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #24
Roberts Wesleyan University lands at #24 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (44/100). Graduates earn a median $55,031 a decade after enrolling, 10% above this list's average, and net price runs $23,130 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #25
North Country Community College lands at #25 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (78/100) and pulled down by academic quality (54/100). Graduates earn a median $38,276 a decade after enrolling, 24% below this list's average, and net price runs $11,868 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #26
Dutchess Community College lands at #26 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (81/100) and pulled down by academic quality (50/100). Graduates earn a median $43,929 a decade after enrolling, 12% below this list's average, and net price runs $10,065 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #27
Nassau Community College lands at #27 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (84/100) and pulled down by academic quality (49/100). Graduates earn a median $48,248 a decade after enrolling, 4% below this list's average, and net price runs $7,095 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #28
Herkimer County Community College lands at #28 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (72/100) and pulled down by academic quality (49/100). Graduates earn a median $39,199 a decade after enrolling, 22% below this list's average, and net price runs $13,419 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #29
Monroe Community College lands at #29 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (82/100) and pulled down by academic quality (47/100). Graduates earn a median $40,174 a decade after enrolling, 20% below this list's average, and net price runs $6,353 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #30
Rockland Community College lands at #30 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (80/100) and pulled down by academic quality (46/100). Graduates earn a median $50,243 a decade after enrolling, 0% above this list's average, and net price runs $11,282 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #31
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College lands at #31 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (89/100) and pulled down by academic quality (48/100). Graduates earn a median $42,306 a decade after enrolling, 16% below this list's average, and net price runs $4,976 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #32
CUNY Brooklyn College lands at #32 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (91/100) and pulled down by academic quality (63/100). Graduates earn a median $60,752 a decade after enrolling, 21% above this list's average, and net price runs $3,103 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #33
Jefferson Community College lands at #33 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (80/100) and pulled down by academic quality (42/100). Graduates earn a median $39,991 a decade after enrolling, 20% below this list's average, and net price runs $11,923 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #34
CUNY Medgar Evers College lands at #34 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (86/100) and pulled down by academic quality (38/100). Graduates earn a median $46,498 a decade after enrolling, 7% below this list's average, and net price runs $5,718 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #35
State University of New York at Oswego lands at #35 with a 100/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (67/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (63/100). Graduates earn a median $57,566 a decade after enrolling, 15% above this list's average, and net price runs $16,236 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #36
St. John Fisher University lands at #36 with a 100/100 composite, led by academic quality (79/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (45/100). Graduates earn a median $66,944 a decade after enrolling, 33% above this list's average, and net price runs $28,945 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #37
SUNY Broome Community College lands at #37 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (79/100) and pulled down by academic quality (41/100). Graduates earn a median $39,710 a decade after enrolling, 21% below this list's average, and net price runs $8,940 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #38
Suffolk County Community College lands at #38 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (89/100) and pulled down by academic quality (48/100). Graduates earn a median $49,907 a decade after enrolling, 1% below this list's average, and net price runs $5,258 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #39
Erie Community College lands at #39 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (81/100) and pulled down by academic quality (50/100). Graduates earn a median $41,228 a decade after enrolling, 18% below this list's average, and net price runs $7,765 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #40
Molloy University lands at #40 with a 100/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (74/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (46/100). Graduates earn a median $77,789 a decade after enrolling, 55% above this list's average, and net price runs $24,347 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #41
Yeshiva University lands at #41 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (39/100). Graduates earn a median $71,353 a decade after enrolling, 42% above this list's average, and net price runs $49,965 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #42
Niagara County Community College lands at #42 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (83/100) and pulled down by academic quality (60/100). Graduates earn a median $42,285 a decade after enrolling, 16% below this list's average, and net price runs $6,876 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #43
Manhattanville University lands at #43 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (84/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (49/100). Graduates earn a median $58,832 a decade after enrolling, 17% above this list's average, and net price runs $20,991 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #44
University of Mount Saint Vincent lands at #44 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (84/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (49/100). Graduates earn a median $65,756 a decade after enrolling, 31% above this list's average, and net price runs $21,696 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #45
Schenectady County Community College lands at #45 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (82/100) and pulled down by academic quality (60/100). Graduates earn a median $40,902 a decade after enrolling, 18% below this list's average, and net price runs $8,947 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #46
Ulster County Community College lands at #46 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (89/100) and pulled down by academic quality (53/100). Graduates earn a median $41,896 a decade after enrolling, 16% below this list's average, and net price runs $5,035 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #47
SUNY Westchester Community College lands at #47 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (81/100) and pulled down by academic quality (44/100). Graduates earn a median $46,822 a decade after enrolling, 7% below this list's average, and net price runs $9,373 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #48
Canisius University lands at #48 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (57/100). Graduates earn a median $60,681 a decade after enrolling, 21% above this list's average, and net price runs $17,940 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #49
SUNY College of Technology at Alfred lands at #49 with a 100/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by academic quality (63/100). Graduates earn a median $50,445 a decade after enrolling, 1% above this list's average, and net price runs $15,016 a year. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #50
Jamestown Community College lands at #50 with a 100/100 composite, led by value per dollar (80/100) and pulled down by academic quality (45/100). Graduates earn a median $38,242 a decade after enrolling, 24% below this list's average, and net price runs $9,850 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that low cost is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Cut it by what you care about
The same 50 schools, re-ranked by the outcome that matters to you.
Where the programs — and the jobs are
Where these graduates work
Graduates of these programs most often become Management Analysts and related roles — a field with $99,410 median pay and 10% projected growth.
See the Management Analyst career guide →This ranking scores 50 institutions on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt burdens, and social mobility data from Opportunity Insights. Every data point comes from federal sources. No surveys, no opinions.
Social mobility carries the heaviest weight in our algorithm. We use Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card — built on 30 million anonymized tax records — to measure whether a college changes a family's economic trajectory across generations. Schools that take low-income students and launch them into higher earnings rank higher than schools that admit wealthy students and take credit for their success.
The transparency penalty matters here. Schools that don't report their data get scored lower than schools that do. If an institution won't show you its numbers, we think you should know that before you write them a tuition check.
The story behind the ranking
A ranking gives you an order; these charts give you the shape. They show how this group of schools spreads across the four things that decide whether a degree pays off — what graduates earn, whether they finish, how far they move up, and what it costs. Look for the standouts, the outliers, and the trade-offs the list alone can't show.
Earnings Outcomes
What graduates earn 10 years after enrolling. Data from College Scorecard.
Distribution of Median Earnings
Earnings vs. Net Price
Top-left = best value. Top-ranked schools are highlighted.
Completion & Access
Graduation rates and who gets in. Data from College Scorecard & IPEDS.
Graduation Rates
Pell Grant Rate vs. Graduation Rate
Right = more low-income students. Higher = more graduate.
What the Mobility Data Says
The backbone of this ranking is social-mobility data from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, which draws on more than 30 million tax records. A school's mobility rate is the share of its students who move from the bottom income quintile to the top. Among the 37 schools on this list with available data, that rate averages 2.6%. CUNY Lehman College leads the group at 10.2%, with CUNY Brooklyn College (8.1%) and CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College (6.1%) close behind.
Who gets in matters as much as what happens after. Across these schools, an average of 13.5% of students start in the bottom income quintile. CUNY Lehman College leads at 36.7%, which signals an admissions door that is actually open to low-income students. Schools that pair high access with high mobility are the ones driving generational change.
Once low-income students enroll, their odds of reaching the top income quintile average 20.7% across this list. University of Mount Saint Vincent posts the highest success rate at 62.6%. Access without completion and career momentum is an incomplete picture, and this is the number that completes it.
Social capital, measured by economic connectedness, captures the degree of cross-class friendship on campus, another dimension Opportunity Insights ties to long-run outcomes. Across these schools it averages 1.36 against a national benchmark of 1.0. Yeshiva University reaches 1.89, the highest on the list.
Mobility, access, and social-capital figures from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card & the Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas.
Cost & Debt
What families actually pay and what students owe. Data from College Scorecard.
Median Debt at Graduation
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Online Business Programs in New York: Your Questions, Answered
What is the #1 school in the Best Online Business Programs in New York ranking? +
Empire State University in Saratoga Springs, NY ranks #1 in our 2026 Best Online Business Programs in New York ranking. It earns the top spot on the strength of a median $54,080 in graduate earnings ten years after enrollment and a 34% graduation rate. Our score is built entirely from federal data on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt, and social mobility. Reputation surveys play no part.
Which school has the highest graduate earnings? +
Molloy University posts the highest median earnings on this list: $77,789 ten years after enrollment, well above the $50,174 average across the 50 ranked schools with earnings data. Earnings that outpace cost are what separate a degree that pays off from one that does not.
Which school offers the best value? +
On a pure return-on-cost basis, CUNY Brooklyn College leads: graduates earn a median $60,752 against net price of about $3,103 a year, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio in the ranking. Applicants should weigh that payback against sticker price rather than prestige.
Which school has the highest graduation rate? +
Yeshiva University has the highest graduation rate in this ranking at 83%, compared with a 44% average across the list. Completion matters because the students who finish are the ones who actually capture the earnings and mobility gains a degree promises.
How much does it cost to attend these schools? +
The average net price, meaning what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, is about $14,721 a year across the 50 ranked schools with cost data. CUNY Brooklyn College is among the most affordable at roughly $3,103. Net price is a far better guide to affordability than the published sticker price.
How is the Best Online Business Programs in New York ranking calculated? +
We score every school on a four-pillar algorithm: economic outcomes (graduate earnings and debt), social mobility (Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, built on more than 30 million anonymized tax records), academic quality (graduation and retention), and value (net price and loan burden). Social mobility carries the heaviest weight, so schools that lift low-income students into higher earnings rank above those that simply admit wealthy students. Every input comes from federal data, and schools that withhold their numbers are scored lower for it.
How many schools are ranked and where does the data come from? +
This ranking evaluates 50 institutions using the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, the Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card and Social Capital Atlas, Times Higher Education, and NCES IPEDS. There are no opinion surveys or paid placements. The order is determined by the data alone and refreshed as new federal figures are released.
Sources & Citations
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