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High upside

BACHELORS | NY | PRIVATE NONPROFIT

Sustainability Studies at Columbia University

This page puts upside and risk on the same screen so Degreeli can answer the real question: does this degree path still look worth it once completion friction is part of the math?

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Degree Value Scorecard

Sustainability Studies

Columbia University

Credential: BACHELORSState: NYData confidence: Medium

Editorial Verdict

Moderate value. The outcome can work, but the payback window makes cost control important.

Degreeli Value Score

0Score

Caution Zone

Data Confidence: Medium

Directional value

0/100

Estimated Net Cost

$0

Estimated Debt

$0

Early-Career Salary

$0

Mid-Career Salary

$0

Category breakdown

Cost Efficiency

20/20

Cost Efficiency

Debt Risk

12.1/20

Debt Risk

Earnings Outlook

12.7/20

Earnings Outlook

Payback Timeline

7.1/15

Payback Timeline

Completion / Outcome Confidence

10/10

Completion / Outcome Confidence

Graduate Worth-It Reviews

5/10

Graduate Worth-It Reviews

Parent / Student Clarity Signal

2.5/5

Parent / Student Clarity Signal

Cost and debt

Estimated net cost

$86,360

Estimated debt

$53,543

Debt risk

Moderate

Salary and outcome outlook

Early-career salary

$66,725

Mid-career salary

$109,498

Salary outlook

Solid

Payback estimate

Payback years

0.0 years

Completion/outcome

Strong completion signal

Review signals

Graduate review rating

3.7 / 5

Parent review signal

Cost control matters above the mid-$40k debt range

Student signal

Student fit depends on internships, advising, and career support

Campus architecture detail used as context for a school and degree scorecard.
School detail, program detail, and scorecard header visuals.

Sample scorecard preview

Columbia University

Sustainability Studies

Degreeli Value Score

69/ 100
Caution ZoneMedium confidence

Estimated Debt

$42K

Early Salary

$54K

Payback

Moderate

Reviews

4.1 / 5

Good outcome potential, but cost control matters. Compare aid packages and lower-debt alternatives before committing.

Strengths and risks

Top strengths

  • Cost looks efficient relative to expected early-career pay.
  • Completion/outcome signal supports the value case.

Main risks

  • Graduate review signal is limited or modeled.

Why this score?

Caution Zone is a Degreeli Value Score v1 directional read based on modeled cost ($86,360), estimated debt ($53,543), early-career salary ($66,725), payback, completion, and review signals. The strongest signal is that cost looks efficient relative to expected early-career pay. The main caution is that graduate review signal is limited or modeled. Data confidence is medium, so this should support comparison rather than act as a guarantee.

The Degreeli Value Score is directional, not a guarantee of salary, employment, or personal financial outcome.

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Better-value alternatives

Best current alternative

Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies

Columbia University

Degreeli Score

89/100

Debt

$15,300

Payback

1.8 years

Better-value alternative

Law

Columbia University

Degreeli Score

89/100

Debt

$16,150

Payback

1.9 years

Better-value alternative

Mathematics

Duke University

Degreeli Score

89/100

Debt

$22,950

Payback

2.7 years

Methodology and data confidence

Data confidence is medium. Cost, salary, payback, review, and outcome fields should be read as decision support, not financial advice.

Methodology

Programs

Inspect this path, then stack it against alternatives.

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Current school + degree

Sustainability Studies at Columbia University

Expand the core read on debt, salary, payback, review context, and score confidence before comparing.

69

Caution Zone

Data Confidence

Medium

Estimated Debt

$53,543

Early Salary

$66,725

Payback

6.7 years

Worth-It Rating

3.7 / 5

Strengths

Cost looks efficient relative to expected early-career pay.

Completion/outcome signal supports the value case.

Risks

Graduate review signal is limited or modeled.

Moderate value. The outcome can work, but the payback window makes cost control important.

Better-value alternatives

Compare nearby paths before deciding.

These are sample comparison options from the current preview catalog, not a claim of full national coverage.

Expand

Columbia University

Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies

Completion ROI

$5,919,991

Payback

1.8 years

View ScorecardCompare

Bottom Line

High upside

Sustainability Studies at Columbia University is a strong bottom-line candidate. Even after adjusting for completion risk, the path still clears $1,561,183 in lifetime ROI.

The combination of $85,545 in 10-year earnings and a payback window of 6.7 years gives this degree path real room to absorb uncertainty.

$21,590 School Net Price
96% School Graduation Rate

Risk Lens

How much value disappears once completion risk is acknowledged?

Ideal Case

$1,624,540

Risk-Adjusted Case

$1,561,183

Value At Risk

$63,357

Degreeli uses this gap to show how much value depends on finishing the program and reaching the expected outcome.

Verified reviews

Verified reviews of Sustainability Studies

Only approved reviews tied to Columbia University and this specific program appear here. Reviewer identities stay private while verification badges explain how affiliation was checked.

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Career AI Exposure

Moderate Exposure (52/100)

This path looks mixed: some tasks are AI-sensitive while human context still matters.

AI Exposure is a second lens beside ROI. It should inform comparison, not replace judgment.

Directional estimate from BACHELORS taxonomy and program naming patterns. Replace with occupation-linked datasets as coverage expands.

Exposure Components

Read AI risk as task mix, not destiny.

Entry-Level Friction

56/100

Human Judgment Premium

66/100

Physical-World Durability

48/100

Higher exposure does not mean a path is bad. It means families should compare specialization paths, skill depth, and adaptation speed alongside ROI.

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