Back to Colleges
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Altoona, PA 2,367 Undergrads 16.5% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$32,559
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$22,213
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,659
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$22,213
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$76,659Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$63,435Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate16.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Warning: The majority of students at this institution do not graduate. Non-completers typically earn significantly less and face higher debt risks.
Average Starting Age21.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients27.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time97.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
98.1%
SAT Avg
1,187
SAT Reading
25th: 530-75th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 540-75th: 640
ACT Composite
25th: 22-75th: 28
ROI Sensitivity AnalysisAssuming 4 Years to Graduation
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.
⚠️ 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
+$665k
+$198k
+$180k
Median Cost$22k/yr
+$585k
+$118k
+$100k
Full Cost$33k/yr
+$548k
+$81k
+$63k
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.
⚠️ 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
29
∞
Median Cost$22k/yr
37
126%
Full Cost$33k/yr
43
54%
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.
⚠️ 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 Return196%
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.
⚠️ 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 Return1%
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, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, 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.
⚠️ 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
Computer and Information Sciences, General
CertCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$102,874
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$595k
Engineering, General
CertCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,019
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Management Information Systems and Services
CertCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,794
Natl Median: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$390k
Associate's Degrees
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$17,701
Earnings (4yr)
$61,596
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$119k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,654
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1508
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,997
Natl Median: $64,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$25,218
Earnings (4yr)
$88,192
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$188k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,717
Earnings (4yr)
$64,910
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$10k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$25,593
Earnings (4yr)
$65,292
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,403
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$137k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,505
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$120,729
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$436k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$98,637
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$268k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,877
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$25,625
Earnings (4yr)
$58,105
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1504
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,835
Natl Median: $84,304
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,299
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$108k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$52,871
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,943
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,195
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$43k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$23,875
Earnings (4yr)
$77,336
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$106k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$60,193
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,918
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$41k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,543
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$91,032
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$210k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,940
Earnings (4yr)
$67,399
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,362
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BachCIP: 5001
Median Debt
$24,225
Earnings (4yr)
$45,170
Natl Median: $41,688
Lifetime Value Added
-$151k
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. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. 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.