Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center — ROI, Cost & Payback
Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center charges a net price of $12,419/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $49,676. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,008, 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, Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center does not clear its cost — it ranks #146 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) | $12,419/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $49,676 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,008 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,352/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$256,716 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center's own numbers. Net price $12,419 × 4 years = $49,676 total. Median earnings $38,008 fall $10,352 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 $49,676 bill in about 5.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 25% of the $38,008 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center students graduate?
68% finish their degree — 32% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $49,676 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $73,053 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center expensive compared with other Pennsylvania colleges?
Its $12,419 net price runs $9,322 below the $21,741 median across the 169 Pennsylvania colleges we profile, and $37,288 less across the full degree.