Harcum College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Harcum College charges a net price of $24,776/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $49,552. Median earnings ten years after entry are $46,827, 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, Harcum College does not clear its cost — it ranks #117 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) | $24,776/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $49,552 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $46,827 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$1,533/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $18,440 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$80,212 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Harcum College's own numbers. Net price $24,776 × 2 years = $49,552 total. Median earnings $46,827 fall $1,533 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 $49,552 bill in about 5.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Harcum College students graduate with?
A median $18,440 in federal loans among completers, or 39% of the $46,827 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Harcum College students graduate?
44% finish their degree — 56% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $49,552 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $112,618 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Harcum College expensive compared with other Pennsylvania colleges?
Its $24,776 net price runs $3,035 above the $21,741 median across the 169 Pennsylvania colleges we profile, or $6,070 more across the full degree.