Lackawanna College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Lackawanna College charges a net price of $19,951/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $39,902. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,000, 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, Lackawanna College does not clear its cost — it ranks #133 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) | $19,951/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $39,902 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,360/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $18,075 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$187,102 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Lackawanna College's own numbers. Net price $19,951 × 2 years = $39,902 total. Median earnings $41,000 fall $7,360 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 $39,902 bill in about 4.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Lackawanna College students graduate with?
A median $18,075 in federal loans among completers, or 44% of the $41,000 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Lackawanna College students graduate?
37% finish their degree — 63% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $39,902 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $107,843 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Lackawanna College expensive compared with other Pennsylvania colleges?
Its $19,951 net price runs $1,790 below the $21,741 median across the 169 Pennsylvania colleges we profile, and $3,580 less across the full degree.