College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Pennsylvania Highlands Community College

Johnstown, PA 719 Undergrads 36.7% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$12,623
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$7,454
After Aid
Median Earnings
$38,752
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$7,454
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$38,752
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate36.7%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients52.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time67.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS56.7%

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
+$390k
+$1k
-$94k
Median Cost$7k/yr
+$376k
-$13k
-$108k
Full Cost$13k/yr
+$367k
-$22k
-$117k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$7k/yr
Never
-789%
Full Cost$13k/yr
Never
-507%
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-794%

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-197%
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

Health and Medical Administrative Services
CertCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$32,403
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$43,846
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$25,904
Lifetime Value Added
-$215k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
AssocCIP: 5109
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$47,363
Lifetime Value Added
-$905
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (5yr)
$39,935
Lifetime Value Added
-$74k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
AssocCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,316
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$9,664
Earnings (5yr)
$46,740
Lifetime Value Added
-$7k
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1513
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$21k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$10,105
Earnings (5yr)
$37,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k

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.