Pennsylvania Western University
California, Pennsylvania · Public · 94.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 37/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Pennsylvania Western University - the merged successor to Clarion, California, and Edinboro universities - scores 37 in the Below Benchmark tier despite low public-university tuition. Four-year cost runs $73,024. Earnings of $35,100 at six years rise to $47,295 by year ten - a slow ramp typical of rural-Pennsylvania labor markets where regional employers dominate. The 17.3-year payback period and 0.676 debt-to-earnings ratio against $23,725 of median debt drag the score down. Completion at 51.9% is the structural drag - the merger of three regional universities served students at three different geographies but doesn't appear to have improved retention. Repayment is 74.7%. Pennsylvania Western works for students choosing strong programs (nursing, allied health) but the broader academic portfolio shows the standard pattern of regional public underperformance: too many students in low-earning humanities and education tracks at debt loads that don't pencil.
How Pennsylvania Western University 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 Score37/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period17.3 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Pennsylvania Western University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,436/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,054/yr |
| Average net price | $18,256/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $73,024 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $47,295 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,725 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $252 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 51.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 7,451 |
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: $11,436/year ($16,054/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $18,256/year, or roughly $73,024 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 $13,944/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,272/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $23,725, which works out to about $252 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($35,100) and comes to 0.68, 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 | $13,944 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,171 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,517 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,633 |
| $110,001+ | $23,272 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $13,944 net per year. Combined with Pell ($7,395 max) and Pennsylvania PHEAA grants, low-income students get meaningful aid stacking. The risk remains the 51.9% completion rate - low-income students are particularly vulnerable to stop-out events. Prepared, full-time students should find this affordable.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Brackets behave normally: $30,001-$48,000 pays $14,171, $48,001-$75,000 pays $16,517, $75,001-$110,000 jumps to $20,633. Middle-income Pennsylvania families at $66K-$83K over four years are getting reasonable public-university value, though Pennsylvania publics are not as generous to middle-income families as some other states.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001+ pay $23,272 - well above the listed in-state tuition because of housing costs and minimal need-based aid for high-income families. At $93K over four years for graduates earning $35K-$47K, the math is poor for high-income families paying full freight.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Pennsylvania Western University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $82,099 | C+ |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $44,180 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $47,468 | D |
| Teacher Education | $47,295 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $55,515 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $49,817 | D |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $37,684 | - |
| Psychology | $45,903 | F |
| Communication Disorders Sciences | $56,316 | D |
| Biology | $53,619 | D |
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 Pennsylvania Western's largest standout program: 210 graduates with $70,857 first-year and $82,099 four-year earnings against $35,187 median debt - a 0.497 ratio and C+ grade. Pittsburgh-area healthcare absorbs BSN graduates at strong starting pay. Despite the higher debt, the math works decisively.
Computer and Information Sciences
CS graduates 45 students with $46,739 first-year and $73,164 four-year earnings against $27,660 debt - a 0.592 ratio and C grade. The four-year earnings ramp is solid (56% growth) and Pittsburgh's tech employers (Google Pittsburgh, Duolingo, plus enterprise IT at the major Pittsburgh corporates) absorb graduates.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business graduates 118 students per year with $40,356 first-year and $55,515 four-year earnings against $26,782 debt - a 0.664 ratio and C grade. The four-year ramp is real but modest. Students should specialize in finance or accounting concentrations to push outcomes higher.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education (134 graduates) shows $38,237 first-year and $47,295 four-year earnings against $27,000 debt - a 0.706 ratio and D grade. Students entering this program should plan on PA Teacher Loan Forgiveness or federal PSLF to make the math work over the long run.
Psychology
Psychology (77 graduates) shows $23,193 first-year and $45,903 four-year earnings against $26,500 debt - a 1.143 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade. The very low first-year number is striking, suggesting many graduates work in unrelated low-wage roles immediately after graduation. As with most undergrad psych programs, the credential alone delivers poor outcomes; students need clear graduate-school plans (clinical psych, counseling, school psych) to make this work.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 69.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 74.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 68.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 71.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Pennsylvania Western University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2022-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 94.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 460-560 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 480-580 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-25 |
| Enrollment | 7,451 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 38.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,870 |
Pennsylvania Western admits 94.3% of applicants - effectively open admission. SAT mid-50% bands are Math 460-560 and Reading 480-580; ACT 17-25. The wide ACT band particularly signals a student population spanning very mixed academic preparation. Prepared, focused students do finish; the broad applicant pool sees high attrition.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Western University (this school) | 37 | $18,256 | $47,295 |
| East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 51 | $18,134 | $56,148 |
| Idaho State University | 38 | $12,193 | $45,608 |
| Austin Peay State University | 36 | $9,735 | $44,301 |
| The University of Montana | 33 | $16,784 | $44,511 |
| Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | 11 | $14,265 | $37,837 |
Who Thrives Here
Pennsylvania Western fits western Pennsylvania students who want a residential public university experience close to home - the three campuses (California, Clarion, Edinboro) draw heavily from rural PA. Enrollment of 7,451 with a 38.3% Pell rate signals a working-class student body. Outcomes look strongest for nursing (B+ adjacent), allied health diagnostic, accounting, CS, and finance graduates. The school's strongest pipelines feed Pittsburgh-area healthcare and corporate employers. Students should pick programs intentionally - liberal arts, education, and humanities tracks deliver weak ROI everywhere, and Pennsylvania Western is no exception.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Pennsylvania Western University scores 37/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $18,256 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $47,295 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 17.3 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: weak earnings relative to cost, its 51.9% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,725 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $35,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. 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.
Pennsylvania Western University: Common Questions
Is Pennsylvania Western University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Pennsylvania Western University scores 37/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $18,256 a year after aid against $47,295 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 17.3 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Pennsylvania Western University 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 $18,256 a year, or roughly $73,024 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 Pennsylvania Western University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $47,295 ten years after enrolling, roughly $5,495 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 Pennsylvania Western University?
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 17.3 years for Pennsylvania Western University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Pennsylvania Western University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $23,725, against average earnings of $35,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.68. 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 Pennsylvania Western University?
The six-year graduation rate is 51.9%. 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.