Degree Dividend
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Reading Area Community College vs All-State Career School: which has better ROI?

Public, Reading PA · vs · Private for-profit, Essington PA

The verdict

Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Reading Area Community College comes closer — median earnings $39,082 against a $18,456 total, vs $38,495 at All-State Career School. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasureReading Area Community CollegeAll-State Career School
Net price / yr$9,228$18,205
Total net cost$18,456$72,820
Median earnings, 10 yrs$39,082$38,495
Median debt$8,750$6,333
Payback
20-year net return-$204,016-$270,120

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.

Which is cheaper, Reading Area Community College or All-State Career School?

Reading Area Community College, at $9,228 a year after aid versus $18,205 — a gap of $8,977 a year, or $54,364 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.

Do Reading Area Community College or All-State Career School graduates earn more?

Reading Area Community College graduates report a median $39,082 ten years after entry, $587 more than the $38,495 at All-State Career School. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.

Which leaves students with less debt, Reading Area Community College or All-State Career School?

All-State Career School: its completers carry a median $6,333 in federal loans versus $8,750 at Reading Area Community College, a difference of $2,417. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.

Which graduates more of its students?

53% of students finish at All-State Career School, against 34% at Reading Area Community College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.

Reading Area Community College vs All-State Career School: frequently asked questions

Is Reading Area Community College or All-State Career School a better value?
Reading Area Community College comes closer, but neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings — the field you study decides it here more than the school.
Which is cheaper, Reading Area Community College or All-State Career School?
Reading Area Community College: $9,228/yr net price after aid versus $18,205/yr at All-State Career School — a difference of $8,977 a year, or about $54,364 over four years.
Do Reading Area Community College or All-State Career School graduates earn more?
Reading Area Community College graduates earn a median $39,082 ten years after entry, versus $38,495 at All-State Career School — a $587 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.