College ROI

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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks

Reading, PA 1,872 Undergrads 36.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$32,242
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$24,356
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,659
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$24,356
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$76,659
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$63,435
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate36.2%
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 Recipients29.5%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
98.7%
SAT Avg
1,174
SAT Reading
25th: 550-75th: 640
SAT Math
25th: 540-75th: 635
ACT Composite
25th: 18-75th: 27

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 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.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$665k
+$198k
+$180k
Median Cost$24k/yr
+$577k
+$110k
+$93k
Full Cost$32k/yr
+$549k
+$82k
+$64k

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
29
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
38
106%
Full Cost$32k/yr
43
55%
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 Return199%

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 Return2%
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.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,097
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$102,874
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$593k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,019
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$12,652
Earnings (4yr)
$93,527
Natl Median: $44,906
Lifetime Value Added
+$502k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,794
Natl Median: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$388k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,356
Natl Median: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$33k
Median Debt
$17,701
Earnings (4yr)
$61,596
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$115k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$25,218
Earnings (4yr)
$88,192
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$181k
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (4yr)
$77,336
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Median Debt
$25,887
Earnings (4yr)
$69,102
Natl Median: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
+$35k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,717
Earnings (4yr)
$64,910
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Biology/Biotechnology Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 4101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,919
Natl Median: $63,102
Lifetime Value Added
+$87k
Median Debt
$25,593
Earnings (4yr)
$65,292
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,505
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Median Debt
$25,431
Earnings (4yr)
$66,866
Natl Median: $55,384
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$120,729
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$428k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$98,637
Natl Median: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$261k
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,877
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,913
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$161k
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1504
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,835
Natl Median: $84,304
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Median Debt
$23,455
Earnings (4yr)
$63,798
Natl Median: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,755
Natl Median: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$132k
Median Debt
$25,950
Earnings (4yr)
$91,671
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$26,723
Earnings (4yr)
$87,997
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$179k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,918
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,543
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$122k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,635
Natl Median: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$105k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$33,387
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$266k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,940
Earnings (4yr)
$67,399
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$53,362
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Median Debt
$26,187
Earnings (5yr)
$74,662
Natl Median: $70,929
Lifetime Value Added
+$66k

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.