College ROI

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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly

Lemont Furnace, PA 402 Undergrads 37.9% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$25,154
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$14,596
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,659
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,596
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (10yr)$76,659
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate37.9%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients37.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time94.5%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
95.5%
SAT Avg
1,170
SAT Reading
25th: 580-75th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 540-75th: 590
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
+$657k
+$197k
+$180k
Median Cost$15k/yr
+$605k
+$145k
+$127k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$567k
+$107k
+$89k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$15k/yr
33
242%
Full Cost$25k/yr
38
99%
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 Return276%

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 Return24%
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

Management Information Systems and Services
CertCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,794
Nat: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$385k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$108,264
Nat: $80,020
Lifetime Value Added
+$636k

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
-$24k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$17,701
Earnings (4yr)
$61,596
Nat: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$123k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Nat: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,654
Nat: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$57k

Bachelor's Degrees

Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$25,593
Earnings (4yr)
$65,292
Nat: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,840
Nat: $65,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,505
Nat: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,877
Nat: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1504
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,835
Nat: $84,304
Lifetime Value Added
+$157k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,943
Nat: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$95,935
Nat: $83,290
Lifetime Value Added
+$263k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,308
Nat: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$93k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,543
Nat: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
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
+$226k

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.