Cedar Crest College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Cedar Crest College charges a net price of $18,659/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $74,636. Graduates earn a median $59,460 ten years after entry, $11,100/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 6.7 years — a 20-year net return of $147,364, a solid payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Cedar Crest College's 6.7-year payback ranks #589 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 54% of them, and #58 of 169 in Pennsylvania.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $18,659/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $74,636 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $59,460 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $11,100/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 6.7 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $147,364 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Cedar Crest College's own numbers. Net price $18,659 × 4 years = $74,636 total. Median earnings $59,460 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $11,100 a year of premium. $74,636 ÷ $11,100 = 6.7 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $147,364. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Cedar Crest College students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 45% of the $59,460 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Cedar Crest College students graduate?
60% finish their degree — 40% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $74,636 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $124,393 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Cedar Crest College expensive compared with other Pennsylvania colleges?
Its $18,659 net price runs $3,082 below the $21,741 median across the 169 Pennsylvania colleges we profile, and $12,328 less across the full degree.