Peirce College
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 38/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Peirce College scores 38 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. Two sub-scores define the institution's profile: a completion rate of 10% (sub-score 1 - the lowest possible score) and a repayment rate of 49.3% (sub-score 8 - near-floor). Nine of ten students who enroll at Peirce do not graduate. More than half of borrowers are not successfully paying down their debt. Net price is $12,148, median debt $31,250, and six-year earnings $40,500. The payback period is 12 years (sub-score 49), and the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.772 (sub-score 18). The earnings premium sub-score of 71 (raw 0.322) is strong - graduates earn 32.2% more than the comparison population, indicating that the degree itself has value in the Philadelphia labor market. The problem is that almost nobody gets the degree. Income bracket data is severely limited: the 0-30000 and 30001-48000 brackets are null, as is the 110001-plus bracket. Only the 48001-75000 ($13,686) and 75001-110000 ($10,610) brackets are reported. The six programs listed - CIS (24 graduates, D), Business Admin (45 graduates, D), Health Admin (33 graduates, D), Criminal Justice (17 graduates, D), Accounting (6 graduates, C), and Legal Support (14 graduates, F) - all carry significant debt loads ranging from $43,500 to $52,829. Debt at Peirce is uniformly high relative to program outcomes: CIS at $52,829, Criminal Justice at $46,440, Legal Support at $47,341. Peirce is a 177-year-old workforce-focused institution serving Philadelphia working adults.
How Peirce College scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score38/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate10.0% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
Peirce College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $15,060/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $15,060/yr |
| Average net price | $12,148/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $48,592 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $50,660 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $40,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $31,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $331 |
| Estimated payback period | 12 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 10.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 799 |
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: $15,060/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $12,148/year, or roughly $48,592 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 N/A/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $31,250, which works out to about $331 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($40,500) and comes to 0.77, 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 | N/A |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | N/A |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,686 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $10,610 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 and 30001-48000 income brackets are null in Scorecard - no data is reported for the lowest two income bands. Given Peirce's 52.8% Pell grant rate, the absence of this data is a meaningful gap. The institution serves a predominantly lower-income population, but the cost data for those students is not available in this analysis. Prospective low-income students should contact Peirce directly for institutional aid packaging information.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $13,686 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $10,610 - with the higher-income bracket paying less than the lower one. This inverted pattern may reflect merit aid eligibility at higher income levels. At $11-14k annually, Peirce is accessible in absolute terms. However, the 10% completion rate and 49.3% repayment rate create severe financial risk even at a $12k annual cost: students who accumulate $31,250 in debt without completing have limited ability to service it.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus income bracket is null in Scorecard. No price data is available for the highest-income bracket. The available data points ($13,686 for 48001-75000 and $10,610 for 75001-110000) are both well below the $12,148 average net price.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Peirce College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $66,070 | D |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $51,003 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $65,881 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $53,068 | D |
| Legal Support Services | $66,978 | F |
| Accounting | $74,451 | C |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration (45 graduates) is Peirce's largest program: $55,328 year-one, $66,070 at year four, D grade, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.786 against $43,500 median debt. Monthly payments on $43,500 run roughly $461 - a significant burden against $55k year-one earnings (roughly 10% of gross monthly income). The D grade reflects high debt relative to solid but not exceptional earnings. Business graduates at Peirce who enter Philadelphia's business services sector build adequate careers, but the debt load is the defining financial constraint.
Computer and Information Sciences
CIS (24 graduates) earns $66,352 year-one and $65,881 at year four - the year-four figure is slightly lower than year-one, which is unusual and may reflect cohort variation in the small sample. D grade, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.796 against $52,829 median debt - the highest debt load of any program at Peirce. Monthly payments on $52,829 run roughly $560. Against a $66k year-one salary, this is a 10% monthly burden - manageable, but the high absolute debt level creates financial fragility. The D grade reflects the elevated debt rather than weak earnings.
Legal Support Services
Legal Support Services (14 graduates) earns an F ROI grade: $46,406 year-one, $66,978 at year four, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.020 against $47,341 median debt. Graduates owe slightly more than an entire year of first-year earnings in student loans. Monthly payments of roughly $502 against $46k year-one earnings represent 13% of gross monthly income - a substantial financial burden. Legal support graduates who build careers in Philadelphia's legal services sector reach $67k at year four, but the initial years are financially strained.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 39.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 49.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 41.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 48.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Peirce 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
| Enrollment | 799 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 52.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,911 |
Peirce College operates as an open-access institution with no reported admission filter. The institution's challenge is not who gets in - it is who gets out with a degree. At 10% completion, the vast majority of students who invest in Peirce do not complete their credential. Prospective students should ask directly about Peirce's completion support programs, what the barriers are for students who leave without a degree, and whether partial credentials or stackable certificates provide any financial benefit if full degree completion is not possible.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The completion rate is 10% and the repayment rate is 49.3%. Peirce's program-level earnings for completers are strong - the challenge is that almost no one completes.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peirce College (this school) | 38 | $12,148 | $50,660 |
| Albright College | 56 | $20,024 | $58,700 |
| Graceland University-Lamoni | 39 | $18,504 | $47,361 |
| Houghton University | 38 | $20,519 | $46,721 |
| Malone University | 37 | $20,948 | $48,909 |
| Bryn Athyn College of the New Church | 34 | $20,586 | $40,457 |
Who Thrives Here
Peirce College does not report an admission rate, SAT ranges, or ACT ranges in Scorecard - consistent with an open-access adult learning institution. Enrollment is 799. The Pell grant rate of 52.8% reflects a predominantly lower-income student body. Peirce serves working adults and non-traditional students in Philadelphia who are pursuing career-focused credentials while managing employment, family, and financial constraints. The 10% completion rate is not evidence of academic failure - it is evidence that this population faces severe non-academic barriers to degree completion that the institution has not overcome.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Peirce College scores 38/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $12,148 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $50,660 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 12 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: its 10.0% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 49.3% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $31,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $40,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77. 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.
Peirce College: Common Questions
Is Peirce College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Peirce College scores 38/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $12,148 a year after aid against $50,660 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 12 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Peirce 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 $12,148 a year, or roughly $48,592 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 Peirce College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $50,660 ten years after enrolling, roughly $8,860 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 Peirce 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 12 years for Peirce College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Peirce College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $31,250, against average earnings of $40,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77. 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 Peirce College?
The six-year graduation rate is 10.0%. 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.