Pennsylvania Highlands Community College

Johnstown, PA 788 Undergrads 39.3% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$12,306

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$6,200

After Aid

Median Earnings

$37,995

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$6,200

Peer Midpoint: $9,847

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$37,995

Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5

Graduation Rate39.3%

Peer Midpoint: 34.6%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients53.5%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time57.0%

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

+$412k

-$103k

-$72k

Median Cost$6k/yr

+$401k

-$115k

-$83k

Full Cost$12k/yr

+$390k

-$126k

-$95k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$6k/yr

Never

-732%

Full Cost$12k/yr

Never

-419%

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-636%

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-164%

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

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

CertCIP: 5108

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $34,272

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health and Medical Administrative Services

CertCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$32,403

Natl Median: $35,447

Lifetime Value Added

-$112k

Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

CertCIP: 1907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $31,135

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

AssocCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,733

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Operations Support and Assistant Services

AssocCIP: 5204

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,587

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business/Commerce, General

AssocCIP: 5201

Median Debt

$12,000

Earnings (4yr)

$43,627

Natl Median: $49,927

Lifetime Value Added

-$27k

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions

AssocCIP: 5110

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,472

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Computer and Information Sciences, General

AssocCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$45,316

Natl Median: $54,246

Lifetime Value Added

-$19k

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

$9,664

Earnings (4yr)

$40,998

Natl Median: $46,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$53k

Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1513

Median Debt

Earnings (2yr)

$42,682

Natl Median: $55,895

Lifetime Value Added

-$19k

Education, General

AssocCIP: 1301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,787

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Electrical and Power Transmission Installers

AssocCIP: 4603

-$119k

Precision Metal Working

AssocCIP: 4805

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,451

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

AssocCIP: 4201

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$34,272

Natl Median: $39,288

Lifetime Value Added

-$121k

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

AssocCIP: 0907

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $36,074

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Social Work

AssocCIP: 4407

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,409

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

AssocCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,656

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

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.