Congregation Talmidei Mesivta Tiferes Shmiel Aleksander

Life at Yeshiva Aleksander is an all-encompassing religious and scholarly experience, inextricably linked to the Orthodox Jewish community of Brooklyn. The campus at 1535 63rd Street is not a traditional collegiate campus but a center for Torah study. The institution describes its role as providing "lifelong training and guidance to students and alumni alike," noting that a large number of graduates continue to attend lectures (shiurim) and seek guidance from the yeshiva long after formal studies end. The student body is entirely male. While external sites mention "cultural organizations, diversity programs, and multicultural events," these must be understood within the context of the yeshiva's specific religious and cultural milieu. The vibe is one of total immersion in a traditional Jewish learning community.

Outcomes here defy standard higher-education benchmarks. The graduation rate is low, reported at 26%, and the transfer-out rate is a high 56%. This pattern suggests that for many students, the yeshiva serves as a period of intensive religious study rather than a path to a conventional degree. The typical earnings 10 years after entry are very low, reported as $8,799, which aligns with graduates often entering rabbinical roles, teaching, or other community-focused positions within Orthodox Judaism that are not high-earning in the secular sense. The value of the education is measured in spiritual and communal capital, not financial return. The institution's own framing of "lifelong" engagement with alumni underscores that the outcome is a permanent identity as a scholar and community member.

The cost structure is modest, especially for a private institution, but requires careful parsing of published figures.

• The annual tuition and required fees are listed as $14,125 for in-state students and $25,625 for out-of-state students.
• However, the average net price—what students actually pay after grants and scholarships—is significantly lower at $10,048 per year.
• Financial aid is nearly universal: 100% of first-year undergraduate students receive grant or scholarship aid, with the average amount being $9,243.
• The vast majority of this aid (99%) comes from institutional grants and scholarships, indicating the yeshiva itself is the primary source of support. Federal Pell grants are also common, awarded to 65% of undergraduates. The institution provides a net priceNet priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. calculator on its website for families to estimate their actual cost.

Yeshiva Aleksander stands out as a pure and uncompromising example of a specific form of religious education. It is not a liberal arts college with a Judaic studies department; it is a total institution for Talmudic scholarship. Its most remarkable statistic is the 100% first-year retention rate, a testament to the powerful, self-selecting commitment of its students. It operates with open admissions but sustains an environment so demanding and immersive that it retains every single student who chooses to enter. The low graduation rate and high transfer-out rate are not signs of failure but features of its model—for many, it is a formative chapter of study, not a degree-completion program. In a landscape of universities chasing rankings and career outcomes, Yeshiva Aleksander remains devoted to a single, ancient intellectual tradition, measuring success in depth of learning and lifelong connection to the community, not diplomas or salaries.