Cedar Crest College
Allentown, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit · 84.1% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 58/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Cedar Crest College scores 58 (Below Average Value) on the CampusROI scale - a composite driven by an 8.8-year payback period, 60.4% completion rate, and average 6-year earnings of $40,900. Cedar Crest is a women's college in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Registered Nursing is overwhelmingly the dominant program in Scorecard data: 95 graduates, $80,844 year-one, $84,041 year-four, ROI grade B with debt-to-earnings 0.415 and median debt $33,518. No other programs show sufficient volume for full ROI grading. The single-program Scorecard profile means Cedar Crest's aggregate institutional metrics are heavily influenced by nursing - but the 60.4% completion rate and weaker repayment data suggest the non-nursing student population has different financial outcomes. Sticker tuition of $46,314 is high; the $18,659 net price reflects significant institutional aid. Median 10-year earnings of $59,460 show reasonable long-run appreciation for completers.
Cedar Crest College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $46,314/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $46,314/yr |
| Average net price | $18,659/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $74,636 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $59,460 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $40,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 60.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 834 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $46,314/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $18,659/year, or roughly $74,636 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $21,044/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $11,008/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($40,900) and comes to 0.66, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $21,044 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $24,250 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,490 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,909 |
| $110,001+ | $11,008 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $21,044 per year at Cedar Crest - higher than the overall average net price of $18,659, an unusual inversion suggesting the aid formula works less favorably for the very lowest income bracket here. The 30001-48000 bracket pays $24,250 - even higher. This is a challenging cost structure for lower-income students: the institution's highest-need population faces the highest relative prices in the lower-middle income bands.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $21,490 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $19,909 - a step down from the lower bracket, which is unusual. Middle-income families in the upper-middle tier actually pay less than the lower-middle tier here. Total 4-year costs between $80,000 and $86,000 are reasonable for nursing completers with year-one earnings above $80,000. For students in other programs, the payback timeline stretches considerably against these costs.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $11,008 per year - the lowest net price across all income bands, which is highly unusual. This likely reflects merit-based scholarships that Cedar Crest awards to higher-income students to attract enrollment. At this price point, nursing or STEM completers achieve a fast payback; even students in lower-earning programs face reasonable total costs against 10-year earnings.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Cedar Crest College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $84,041 | B |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is the institutional anchor and the only program with full Scorecard outcome data: 95 graduates, $80,844 year-one, $84,041 year-four, ROI grade B with debt-to-earnings 0.415 and median debt $33,518. Year-one earnings of nearly $81,000 reflect strong placement into Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia-area health systems. The B grade is earned - earnings are strong. Students who complete nursing at Cedar Crest enter a high-demand field with competitive starting wages.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 59.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 64.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 67.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 72.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Cedar Crest College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 84.1% |
| Enrollment | 834 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 43.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,285 |
Cedar Crest's 84.1% admission rate and absence of test score data indicate accessible enrollment. The women's college format naturally constrains the applicant pool, and the institution admits broadly from that pool. The 60.4% completion rate is the primary enrollment risk: students considering Cedar Crest should investigate why approximately four in ten enrollees do not complete and what institutional support structures address this. The high Pell rate suggests financial pressure on many students as a completion risk factor.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Crest College (this school) | 58 | $18,659 | $59,460 |
| St Catherine University | 66 | $19,764 | $59,282 |
| Mount Holyoke College | 60 | $26,441 | $58,418 |
| Bay Path University | 52 | $14,271 | $55,383 |
| Agnes Scott College | 45 | $24,754 | $56,274 |
| Sweet Briar College | 44 | $17,758 | $51,943 |
Who Thrives Here
Cedar Crest admits 84.1% of applicants with no test score ranges reported. Enrollment is 834 - a very small women's college with a liberal arts and health professions identity. Students who complete nursing at Cedar Crest have strong outcomes; the broader student body faces a less clear financial picture. The women's college identity attracts students who value single-sex educational environments and close faculty-student relationships.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Cedar Crest College is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $18,659 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $59,460 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 8.8 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 64.8% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $40,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Cedar Crest College: Common Questions
Is Cedar Crest College worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Cedar Crest College scores 58/100 on our ROI scale. At $18,659 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $59,460 ten years after entry, so it takes about 8.8 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Cedar Crest College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $18,659 a year, or roughly $74,636 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Cedar Crest College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $59,460 ten years after enrolling, roughly $17,660 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Cedar Crest College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 8.8 years for Cedar Crest College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Cedar Crest College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $40,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Cedar Crest College?
The six-year graduation rate is 60.4%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.