College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Penn Commercial Business/Technical School

Washington, PA 265 Undergrads 52.7% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$23,804
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,350
After Aid
Median Earnings
$40,596
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,350
Peer Midpoint: $17,333.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$40,596
Peer Midpoint: $34,461
Warning: This school's reported earnings inflated significantly (+28%) when the Dept of Education excluded non-graduates from the dataset. Take caution when comparing.
Graduation Rate52.7%
Peer Midpoint: 68.7%
Average Starting Age26.0
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.1%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time100.0%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS50.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
55.8%
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)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$475k
+$83k
-$9k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$458k
+$66k
-$26k
Full Cost$24k/yr
+$453k
+$61k
-$31k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-155%
Full Cost$24k/yr
Never
-142%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • 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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-158%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

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-86%
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
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
CertCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $34,272
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
CertCIP: 1204
Median Debt
$7,638
Earnings (4yr)
$32,158
Natl Median: $26,307
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
CertCIP: 4603
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$49,496
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
+$70k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$15,389
Earnings (4yr)
$55,358
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Precision Metal Working
CertCIP: 4805
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$34,704
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services
CertCIP: 5135
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$17,242
Natl Median: $29,652
Lifetime Value Added
-$279k

Associate's Degrees

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,421
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$235k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$20,596
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$276k
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
AssocCIP: 1109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,439
Natl Median: $54,971
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,895
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$24,035
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$239k
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)
AssocCIP: 4702
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$45,920
Natl Median: $58,236
Lifetime Value Added
-$26k

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 decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.