CUNY Graduate School and University Center

What are the graduation rates for students at CUNY Graduate School and University Center?

A conventional four- or six-year undergraduate graduation rate is not a meaningful stand-in for Graduate Center doctoral completion. The institution's graduate programs have different degree milestones and time horizons, and its reported first-time undergraduate cohort is unusually small.

Prospective Ph.D. students will get a better picture by asking their intended program for recent cohort outcomes: how many entrants complete the degree, typical time to completion, and how often students leave with a master's degree. Those questions should be paired with the program's funding duration and dissertation requirements. An institution-wide undergraduate rate, even if published, would not answer them.

What is the earning potential for graduates at CUNY Graduate School and University Center?

Field-of-study earnings reported for CUNY Graduate School and University Center vary substantially, but they should not be interpreted as salary promises for Graduate Center Ph.D. graduates. College Scorecard figures describe measured earnings for qualifying former students in a particular field about one year after completion; they are not a survey of every graduate or every job.

For example, the reported one-year figure is $51,317 for communication and media studies and $41,124 for psychology. A figure of $94,707 appears for registered nursing. These fields may represent different credentials and educational activity within the institutional reporting unit, so comparing them as if they were outcomes from one doctoral class would be misleading. Earnings also reflect factors such as prior work experience, occupation, location and further study.

Applicants should look for degree-level and program-specific career outcomes where possible. The Graduate Center's career-support resources can help with planning and applications, but the existence of those services is not evidence of a particular employment result.