2026 Best Value African American Studies Schools in New York
[African American Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/ethnic-studies/african-american-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 26 schools to find the best return on investment for african american studies students.
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2026 Best Value African American Studies Schools in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in african american studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value African American Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked Cuny Brooklyn College the best value for a degree in african american studies in New York. Cuny Brooklyn College is a large public school located in the city of Brooklyn. Students from in state pay about $7,452 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $15,402. African American Studies graduates carry a median of $14,094 in student loans. Soon after graduation, african american studies degree recipients from Cuny Brooklyn College generally make around $32,083. Set against $14,094 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 58% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Suny College At Brockport one of the best values for african american studies. Set in the town of Brockport, Suny College At Brockport is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,752 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,822. Typical student debt for african american studies graduates is $26,672. Early-career african american studies graduates make about $39,724. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Suny College At Brockport admits about 71% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes State University Of New York At New Paltz one of the best values for african american studies. Set in the town of New Paltz, State University Of New York At New Paltz is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,572 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,822. Typical student debt for african american studies graduates is $25,500. Early-career african american studies graduates make about $23,751. That is a strong return on a $25,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 62%.
Suny At Albany came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value african american studies schools. Suny At Albany is a very large public school located in the city of Albany. In-state tuition and fees average $10,601, with out-of-state students paying around $30,991. Typical student debt for african american studies graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, african american studies degree recipients from Suny At Albany generally make around $29,823. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 69%.
A rank of #5 makes Columbia University In The City Of New York one of the best values for african american studies. Set in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $70,517 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $18,799 to complete the african american studies program here. African American Studies graduates of Columbia University In The City Of New York earn a median of $55,206 early in their careers. Set against $18,799 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Columbia University In The City Of New York admits about 4% of applicants.
Syracuse University earned the #6 position for value in african american studies this year. Set in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $65,528 in tuition and fees. African American Studies graduates carry a median of $22,903 in student loans. Early-career african american studies graduates make about $18,854. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 46%.
More African American Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 26 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
