Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia — ROI, Cost & Payback
Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia charges a net price of $29,960/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $119,840. Median earnings ten years after entry are $32,473, 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, Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia does not clear its cost — it ranks #163 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) | $29,960/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $119,840 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $32,473 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$15,887/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $17,200 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$437,580 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia's own numbers. Net price $29,960 × 4 years = $119,840 total. Median earnings $32,473 fall $15,887 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 $119,840 bill in about 12.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia students graduate with?
A median $17,200 in federal loans among completers, or 53% of the $32,473 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia students graduate?
55% finish their degree — 45% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $119,840 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $217,891 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia expensive compared with other Pennsylvania colleges?
Its $29,960 net price runs $8,219 above the $21,741 median across the 169 Pennsylvania colleges we profile, or $32,876 more across the full degree.