College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Central Penn College

Summerdale, PA 662 Undergrads 36.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$27,116
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,953
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,318
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,953
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$52,318
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate36.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients50.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time20.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS68.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
18.5%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$473k
+$6k
-$11k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$405k
-$62k
-$80k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$375k
-$92k
-$109k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-117%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-112%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-102%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-78%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$14,529
Earnings (4yr)
$47,032
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Computer Science
AssocCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,283
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
AssocCIP: 5207
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,095
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$28,457
Earnings (4yr)
$60,077
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$16k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,786
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$34,720
Earnings (4yr)
$66,007
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$30,371
Earnings (4yr)
$71,198
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$32,906
Earnings (4yr)
$46,203
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$25,064
Earnings (4yr)
$54,467
Natl Median: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
BachCIP: 5100
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,296
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Professions and Studies, Other
BachCIP: 2299
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,979
Natl Median: $57,149
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$87,583
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$97k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.