Community College of Allegheny County — ROI, Cost & Payback
Community College of Allegheny County charges a net price of $13,970/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $27,940. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,449, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Community College of Allegheny County does not clear its cost — it ranks #140 of 169 Pennsylvania colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $13,970/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $27,940 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,449 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,911/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,680 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$206,160 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Community College of Allegheny County's own numbers. Net price $13,970 × 2 years = $27,940 total. Median earnings $39,449 fall $8,911 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $27,940 bill in about 2.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Community College of Allegheny County students graduate with?
A median $12,680 in federal loans among completers, or 32% of the $39,449 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Community College of Allegheny County students graduate?
24% finish their degree — 76% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $27,940 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $116,417 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Community College of Allegheny County expensive compared with other Pennsylvania colleges?
Its $13,970 net price runs $7,771 below the $21,741 median across the 169 Pennsylvania colleges we profile, and $15,542 less across the full degree.