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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks
Reading, PA 1,872 Undergrads 36.2% Grad Rate
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: $20,080.5
Earnings (10yr)$76,659
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate36.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
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
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$24k/yr
+$570k
+$110k
+$92k
Full Cost$32k/yr
+$541k
+$81k
+$64k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$24k/yr
38
105%
Full Cost$32k/yr
43
55%
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 Return193%
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-3%
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/Commerce, General
CertCIP: 5201
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $60,097
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
CertCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$102,874
Nat: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$576k
Engineering, General
CertCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings
-
Nat: $79,019
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
CertCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$12,652
Earnings (4yr)
$93,527
Nat: $44,906
Lifetime Value Added
+$487k
Management Information Systems and Services
CertCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,794
Nat: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$375k
Associate's Degrees
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
AssocCIP: 5108
Median Debt
$14,000
Earnings (4yr)
$46,356
Nat: $42,269
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$17,701
Earnings (4yr)
$61,596
Nat: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$105k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$25,218
Earnings (4yr)
$88,192
Nat: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$170k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$25,750
Earnings (4yr)
$77,336
Nat: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
+$88k
Biological and Physical Sciences
BachCIP: 3001
Median Debt
$25,887
Earnings (4yr)
$69,102
Nat: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
+$26k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,717
Earnings (4yr)
$64,910
Nat: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$6k
Biology/Biotechnology Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 4101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$75,919
Nat: $63,102
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$25,593
Earnings (4yr)
$65,292
Nat: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
-$3k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,505
Nat: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
BachCIP: 0999
Median Debt
$25,431
Earnings (4yr)
$66,866
Nat: $55,384
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$120,729
Nat: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$412k
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management
BachCIP: 1110
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$98,637
Nat: $85,063
Lifetime Value Added
+$248k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,877
Nat: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$44,913
Nat: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$169k
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1504
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,835
Nat: $84,304
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$23,455
Earnings (4yr)
$63,798
Nat: $56,726
Lifetime Value Added
-$15k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,755
Nat: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$122k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$25,950
Earnings (4yr)
$91,671
Nat: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings
-
Nat: $49,984
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$26,723
Earnings (4yr)
$87,997
Nat: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$168k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,918
Nat: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,543
Nat: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$131k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,635
Nat: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$113k
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$14,164
Nat: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
-$427k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,940
Earnings (4yr)
$67,399
Nat: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$13k
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
-$99k
Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
BachCIP: 0181
Median Debt
$26,187
Earnings (2yr)
$40,485
Nat: $70,929
Lifetime Value Added
-$186k
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.