Public Health: American Public University System vs CUNY Lehman College

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
17.5x
$33,600 tuition
19.9x
$29,640 tuition
Out-of-State
17.5x
$33,600 tuition
9.6x
$61,440 tuition
$587,576 10-yr earnings · Private for-profit
$591,208 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

American Public University System CUNY Lehman College
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.5x 19.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 17.5x 9.6x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $33,600 $29,640
Year 1 Earnings $47,100 $41,255
10-Year Earnings $588K $591K
Median Debt $30,640 $13,936
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 7.8 months 4.1 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 65/100 63/100

Both programs have high AI automation risk (48% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Public Health graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Public Health graduates.

American Public University System CUNY Lehman College
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $33,600 $29,640
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $33,600 $61,440
10-Year Projected Earnings $588K $591K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.5x 19.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 17.5x 9.6x
5-Year Salary Growth +35% +50%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Public Health (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

American Public University System CUNY Lehman College
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $592K $588K $530K $596K $591K $533K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 17.6x 17.5x 15.8x 20.1x 19.9x 18.0x
DegreeWorth Score 65 65 59 64 63 59

For the full AI analysis of Public Health career paths, see the American Public University System or CUNY Lehman College program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Public Health graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$3,960
CUNY Lehman College saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$5,845/yr
American Public University System grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
17.5x / 19.9x
Out-of-state: 17.5x / 9.6x

Career Paths

Public Health graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Physicists $166,290 1,700 +4.0% 75%
Medical and health services managers $117,960 62,100 +23.2% 43%
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary $105,620 27,400 +17.3% 48%
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists $100,590 9,600 +8.7% 52%
Genetic counselors $98,910 300 +9.3% 50%
Physics teachers, postsecondary $97,360 1,300 +2.5% 42%
Epidemiologists $83,980 800 +16.2% 44%
Occupational health and safety specialists $83,910 14,900 +12.5% 33%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

More Public Health Comparisons

Public Health Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Public Health: American Public University System or CUNY Lehman College?
American Public University System scores 65/100 while CUNY Lehman College scores 63/100. CUNY Lehman College has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Public Health?
American Public University System has an in-state earnings multiple of 17.5x vs CUNY Lehman College's 19.9x. That means CUNY Lehman College grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do American Public University System and CUNY Lehman College compare on Public Health earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $47,100 at American Public University System vs $41,255 at CUNY Lehman College. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $587,576 vs $591,208 — a difference of $3,632.
How much does Public Health cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $33,600 at American Public University System and $29,640 at CUNY Lehman College. Median debt at graduation is $30,640 vs $13,936. Both programs lead to the same Public Health career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.