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Harrisburg Area Community College
Harrisburg, PA 9,802 Undergrads 20.1% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$16,636
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,117
After Aid
Median Earnings
$42,007
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$12,117
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$42,007
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate20.1%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time34.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS61.3%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
100.0%
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
+$421k
+$32k
-$64k
Median Cost$12k/yr
+$398k
+$9k
-$86k
Full Cost$17k/yr
+$390k
+$1k
-$94k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$12k/yr
Never
-387%
Full Cost$17k/yr
Never
-309%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year 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-448%
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-137%
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
Certificates
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$37,315
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
CertCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,064
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Legal Support Services
CertCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$54,182
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k
Associate's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$15,973
Earnings (5yr)
$43,135
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$167k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$20,112
Earnings (5yr)
$60,922
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (5yr)
$54,313
Lifetime Value Added
+$58k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$19,703
Earnings (5yr)
$41,881
Lifetime Value Added
-$63k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,423
Lifetime Value Added
+$40k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,783
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Computer Software and Media Applications
AssocCIP: 1108
Median Debt
$13,809
Earnings (5yr)
$57,544
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
AssocCIP: 1109
Median Debt
$18,977
Earnings (5yr)
$57,384
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,136
Lifetime Value Added
-$31k
Culinary Arts and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1205
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$39,335
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5106
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$60,594
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
AssocCIP: 4603
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$50,050
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
AssocCIP: 5218
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,517
Lifetime Value Added
-$157k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$24,514
Earnings (5yr)
$42,854
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
AssocCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,563
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k
Human Services, General
AssocCIP: 4400
Median Debt
$33,625
Earnings (5yr)
$35,931
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
$13,337
Earnings (5yr)
$47,087
Lifetime Value Added
-$12k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (5yr)
$39,566
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1508
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$55,922
Lifetime Value Added
+$73k
Psychology, General
AssocCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$15,875
Earnings (5yr)
$38,225
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$21,250
Earnings (5yr)
$79,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$281k
Social Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 4501
Median Debt
$21,405
Earnings (5yr)
$40,791
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
AssocCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$31,180
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
AssocCIP: 5001
Median Debt
$13,401
Earnings (5yr)
$36,385
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, 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 should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.