US CollegesGetting in
Empire State University has an open admission policy: it does not turn applicants away on grades or test scores, though some courses can have their own requirements.
What it costs
| Tuition and fees, students from New York | $7,648 |
| Tuition and fees, students from elsewhere | $17,558 |
| Books and supplies | $1,776 |
| Average full cost of a year (tuition, living, books), before aid | $20,825 |
| Average net price after grants and scholarships | $11,131 |
The net price is what students who got federal aid paid on average for a year after grants and scholarships were taken off (for a public college, students from inside the state). It is 27% below the median net price of colleges in New York on this site ($15,275). International students are normally charged the out-of-state tuition and do not receive US federal aid.
Net price by family income
| Family income a year | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | $8,809 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $12,322 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $11,795 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $14,466 |
| Above $110,000 | $19,243 |
For students who received federal aid. A negative figure means grants were larger than the cost counted.
For an estimate that fits your own family, use the college's net price calculator.
Results
| Measure | This college | NY median | US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students who come back for a second year | 66% | 79% | 73% |
| Students who finish their degree (within one and a half times the normal length) | 48% | 50% | 49% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting | $59,509 | $60,260 | $53,132 |
| Median federal loan debt of those who finish | $18,750 | $19,500 | $19,994 |
Medians are the middle value of the colleges on this site in New York and in the whole country. Completion and return rates count first-time, full-time students. Earnings and debt count students who received federal aid.
The students
43% of undergraduates receive a Pell Grant, the federal grant for students from lower-income families. 34% take a federal student loan. The undergraduate body is 68% women and 32% men. By undergraduate numbers it is number 34 of the 254 colleges in New York on this site that report a size; the middle-sized one has 1,272.
Other colleges in New York of a similar size
- Pace UniversityNew York, private nonprofit
- The New SchoolNew York, private nonprofit
- Hofstra UniversityHempstead, private nonprofit
- University of RochesterRochester, private nonprofit
- Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, private nonprofit
- State University of New York at New PaltzNew Paltz, public
Common questions
How much is tuition at Empire State University?
Published tuition and fees are $7,648 a year for students from New York and $17,558 for others. Most students with aid pay less: see the net price.
What is the graduation rate of Empire State University?
48% of first-time, full-time students finish within one and a half times the normal length of the course.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.