Peirce College
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 38/100 · Poor Value
Peirce College scores 38 (Poor Value) 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.
The data raises concerns about Peirce College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score38/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate10.0% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
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 |
| Median 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 sticker price at Peirce College is $15,060/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $12,148/year, or roughly $48,592 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of N/A/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
The median graduate leaves with $31,250 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $331 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $50,660 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.77 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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, suggesting either data limitations or that very few students in the middle-upper income range attend this institution.
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 | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 39.0% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 49.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 41.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 48.4% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
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 becomes impossible.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peirce College (ROI 38) sits in the Poor Value tier. Named peers include Albright College and Malone University — both traditional four-year institutions that share statistical characteristics with Peirce on some metrics. Peirce is unlike those comparators in its operational model: it is a workforce-focused adult learning institution, not a residential liberal arts college. The 10% completion rate and 49.3% repayment rate are the lowest or near-lowest of any institution in this dataset. Among workforce-focused urban institutions in Philadelphia, Peirce's program-level earnings for completers are genuinely competitive — 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: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Peirce College. With a net cost of $12,148 per year and median graduate earnings of only $50,660 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 12 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include a 10.0% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates.
Median debt of $31,250 against $50,660 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.