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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State New Kensington

New Kensington, PA 416 Undergrads 35.3% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$26,863
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,305
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,659
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,305
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 Rate35.3%
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 Recipients33.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
95.3%
SAT Avg
1,190
SAT Reading
25th: 580-75th: 625
SAT Math
25th: 530-75th: 640
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

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$18k/yr
+$599k
+$132k
+$115k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$568k
+$101k
+$84k

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$18k/yr
35
174%
Full Cost$27k/yr
39
87%
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 Return259%

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 Return23%
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)
$81,794
Natl Median: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$394k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$12,625
Earnings (4yr)
$65,110
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$158k
Median Debt
$17,701
Earnings (4yr)
$61,596
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$126k
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$50,439
Natl Median: $73,046
Lifetime Value Added
+$39k
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$54,654
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$25,601
Earnings (4yr)
$81,617
Natl Median: $65,681
Lifetime Value Added
+$152k
Median Debt
$25,593
Earnings (4yr)
$65,292
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$27k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,505
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$56,877
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$40k
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1504
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,835
Natl Median: $84,304
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Median Debt
$25,950
Earnings (4yr)
$91,671
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$229k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,308
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$89k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,543
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$100k
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$91,032
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$224k

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.