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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington
Abington, PA 2,877 Undergrads 38.0% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$28,795
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,071
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,659
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$18,071
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (10yr)$76,659
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate38.0%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients38.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
96.8%
SAT Avg
1,181
SAT Reading
25th: 540-75th: 635
SAT Math
25th: 530-75th: 630
ACT Composite
25th: 23-75th: 27
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
+$657k
+$197k
+$180k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$592k
+$132k
+$115k
Full Cost$29k/yr
+$554k
+$94k
+$76k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
35
177%
Full Cost$29k/yr
40
74%
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 Return228%
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 Return8%
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
Business Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,292
Nat: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$357k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
CertCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$102,874
Nat: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$582k
Management Information Systems and Services
CertCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,794
Nat: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$381k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$17,273
Earnings (4yr)
$63,384
Nat: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$203k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$108,264
Nat: $80,020
Lifetime Value Added
+$633k
Associate's Degrees
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$17,701
Earnings (4yr)
$61,596
Nat: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,654
Nat: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$25,218
Earnings (4yr)
$88,192
Nat: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$192k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
$26,750
Earnings (2yr)
$17,396
Nat: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
-$374k
Biological and Physical Sciences
BachCIP: 3001
Median Debt
$25,887
Earnings (4yr)
$69,102
Nat: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
+$49k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,717
Earnings (4yr)
$64,910
Nat: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$16k
Biology/Biotechnology Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 4101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,919
Nat: $63,102
Lifetime Value Added
+$100k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$25,593
Earnings (4yr)
$65,292
Nat: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$19k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,840
Nat: $65,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$120,729
Nat: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$435k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$101,854
Nat: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$294k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,877
Nat: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$48k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$25,949
Earnings (4yr)
$88,063
Nat: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,299
Nat: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$96,714
Nat: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$256k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,036
Nat: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,871
Nat: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$80k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$25,950
Earnings (4yr)
$91,671
Nat: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$218k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,195
Nat: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$37k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,308
Nat: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$23,875
Earnings (4yr)
$77,336
Nat: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$111k
Physics
BachCIP: 4008
Median Debt
$23,299
Earnings (4yr)
$81,763
Nat: $76,786
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$91,032
Nat: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$214k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,635
Nat: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$91k
Research and Experimental Psychology
BachCIP: 4227
Median Debt
$25,375
Earnings (4yr)
$48,348
Nat: $55,695
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,940
Earnings (4yr)
$67,399
Nat: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,362
Nat: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$76k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BachCIP: 5001
Median Debt
$24,225
Earnings (4yr)
$45,170
Nat: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$144k
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.