College ROI

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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York

York, PA 668 Undergrads 18.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$27,826
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,047
After Aid
Median Earnings
$76,659
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,047
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 Rate18.8%
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 Recipients30.8%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time89.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS80.1%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
97.4%
SAT Avg
1,140
SAT Reading
25th: 530-75th: 620
SAT Math
25th: 520-75th: 625
ACT Composite
25th: 22-75th: 28

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$19k/yr
+$596k
+$129k
+$112k
Full Cost$28k/yr
+$565k
+$98k
+$80k

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$19k/yr
35
163%
Full Cost$28k/yr
40
80%
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 Return247%

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 Return18%
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
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$102,874
Natl Median: $52,615
Lifetime Value Added
+$598k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,794
Natl Median: $65,682
Lifetime Value Added
+$393k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$17,701
Earnings (4yr)
$61,596
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
+$124k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,227
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$244k
Median Debt
$22,250
Earnings (4yr)
$40,545
Natl Median: $34,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Median Debt
$21,000
Earnings (4yr)
$69,394
Natl Median: $56,799
Lifetime Value Added
+$196k
Median Debt
$16,500
Earnings (4yr)
$57,997
Natl Median: $64,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$90k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$25,887
Earnings (4yr)
$69,102
Natl Median: $58,891
Lifetime Value Added
+$54k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,717
Earnings (4yr)
$64,910
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Median Debt
$25,593
Earnings (4yr)
$65,292
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
+$25k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,840
Natl Median: $65,784
Lifetime Value Added
-$51k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$55,505
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$54k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$120,729
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$447k
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1504
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$81,835
Natl Median: $84,304
Lifetime Value Added
+$151k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$50,299
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$97k
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,943
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Median Debt
$25,950
Earnings (4yr)
$91,671
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$73,308
Natl Median: $86,176
Lifetime Value Added
+$86k
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (4yr)
$68,918
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$53k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (4yr)
$49,543
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$23,151
Earnings (4yr)
$62,403
Natl Median: $63,399
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k

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.