College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton

Hazleton, PA 501 Undergrads 26.2% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$29,677
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,597
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,659
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$17,597
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (10yr)$76,659
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate26.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients45.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time95.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
96.4%
SAT Avg
1,200
SAT Reading
25th: 550-75th: 660
SAT Math
25th: 540-75th: 630
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$18k/yr
+$594k
+$134k
+$117k
Full Cost$30k/yr
+$551k
+$90k
+$73k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
Median Cost$18k/yr
35
184%
Full Cost$30k/yr
41
68%
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 Return219%

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 Return5%
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
+$382k

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
-$29k
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$17,701
Earnings (4yr)
$61,596
Nat: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
AssocCIP: 5110
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$48,432
Nat: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Information Science/Studies
AssocCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,394
Nat: $56,799
Lifetime Value Added
+$189k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,654
Nat: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$51k

Bachelor's Degrees

Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,717
Earnings (4yr)
$64,910
Nat: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$25,593
Earnings (4yr)
$65,292
Nat: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,840
Nat: $65,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,877
Nat: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$46k
Engineering, General
BachCIP: 1401
Median Debt
$25,949
Earnings (4yr)
$88,063
Nat: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$193k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
BachCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$75,396
Nat: $58,716
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Human Resources Management and Services
BachCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,755
Nat: $68,069
Lifetime Value Added
+$146k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$25,950
Earnings (4yr)
$91,671
Nat: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$220k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,195
Nat: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,308
Nat: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,543
Nat: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$106k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,635
Nat: $55,792
Lifetime Value Added
-$89k
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
-$75k

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.