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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Scranton
Dunmore, PA 793 Undergrads 35.8% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$27,862
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$17,910
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,659
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$17,910
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (10yr)$76,659
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate35.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients43.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time92.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
98.5%
SAT Avg
1,190
SAT Reading
25th: 560-75th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 540-75th: 620
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
+$593k
+$133k
+$115k
Full Cost$28k/yr
+$557k
+$97k
+$80k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
28
∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
35
179%
Full Cost$28k/yr
40
79%
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 Return239%
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 Return12%
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 Administration, Management and Operations
CertCIP: 5202
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$79,292
Nat: $47,440
Lifetime Value Added
+$358k
Management Information Systems and Services
CertCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,794
Nat: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$381k
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
CertCIP: 5139
Median Debt
$17,273
Earnings (4yr)
$63,384
Nat: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$203k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
CertCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$108,264
Nat: $80,020
Lifetime Value Added
+$633k
Associate's Degrees
Business/Commerce, General
AssocCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$17,701
Earnings (4yr)
$61,596
Nat: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$116k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$40,545
Nat: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Information Science/Studies
AssocCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,394
Nat: $56,799
Lifetime Value Added
+$188k
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
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
BachCIP: 2699
Median Debt
$25,601
Earnings (4yr)
$81,617
Nat: $65,681
Lifetime Value Added
+$144k
Biological and Physical Sciences
BachCIP: 3001
Median Debt
$25,887
Earnings (4yr)
$69,102
Nat: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
+$50k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,717
Earnings (4yr)
$64,910
Nat: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$17k
Business/Commerce, General
BachCIP: 5201
Median Debt
$25,593
Earnings (4yr)
$65,292
Nat: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$20k
Business/Corporate Communications
BachCIP: 5205
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,840
Nat: $65,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,299
Nat: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$101k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,943
Nat: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$137k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
$25,950
Earnings (4yr)
$91,671
Nat: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$219k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$26,500
Earnings (4yr)
$58,195
Nat: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
BachCIP: 5213
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,308
Nat: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$81k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$26,723
Earnings (4yr)
$87,997
Nat: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$191k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,543
Nat: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$107k
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
+$214k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$26,940
Earnings (4yr)
$67,399
Nat: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$36k
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.