Pennsylvania Highlands Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College charges a net price of $6,200/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $12,400. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,752, 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, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #139 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) | $6,200/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $12,400 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,752 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,608/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$204,560 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Pennsylvania Highlands Community College's own numbers. Net price $6,200 × 2 years = $12,400 total. Median earnings $38,752 fall $9,608 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 $12,400 bill in about 1.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Pennsylvania Highlands Community College students graduate with?
A median $11,000 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $38,752 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Pennsylvania Highlands Community College students graduate?
38% finish their degree — 62% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $12,400 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $32,632 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Pennsylvania Highlands Community College expensive compared with other Pennsylvania colleges?
Its $6,200 net price runs $15,541 below the $21,741 median across the 169 Pennsylvania colleges we profile, and $31,082 less across the full degree.