Harrisburg Area Community College
#4 Best Online Education Programs in Pennsylvania- Graduation Rate
- 21% F
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $42,007 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $14,471 C+
- 16% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 9,533
Bottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 17.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $17.1 over 20 years. Ranked #4 in Best Online Education Programs in Pennsylvania.
Every $1 spent returns $17.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $934,234.
What The Data Says
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A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 21% — 64% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $17.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Harrisburg Area Community College Matters
Harrisburg Area Community College is a public community college in Harrisburg, PA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 9,533
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Humanities
Why students choose Harrisburg Area Community College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $14,471 a year after grants and scholarships — 16% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $42,007 ten years after enrolling — 3% above the typical college, against $17,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.0% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 76% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.26 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With nearly 9,600 students, Harrisburg Area Community College caters to a diverse group looking for practical, career-oriented education. It’s an excellent choice for those interested in fields like Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Humanities, Computer Science & IT, and Education. The focus here is on equipping students with the skills needed to enter the workforce or advance in their current jobs.
After graduation, students can expect to earn around $42,007 annually after ten years, which gives a solid return on investment for those pursuing degrees or certificates. The affordability factor is significant too, with a net price of about $14,471 after financial aid. This makes it a more accessible option for many, especially given that 33% of students receive Pell Grants, which can help lower costs even further.
Looking at the financial side, the median debt for graduates is $17,500, a manageable figure for many who enter the workforce directly after their studies. This school tends to attract students who are eager to gain specific skills and improve their job prospects without taking on excessive debt. Those who thrive here are often focused, career-oriented individuals looking to make a meaningful impact in their fields.
Rankings
- #4 Best Online Education Programs in Pennsylvania
- #4 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in Pennsylvania
- #5 Best Online Computer Science Programs in Pennsylvania
- #5 Best Online Business Programs in Pennsylvania
- #6 Best Online Nursing Programs in Pennsylvania
- #21 Most Affordable Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #39 Best Nursing Colleges in Pennsylvania
- #48 Best Online Engineering Programs
Can I Get In?
How selective Harrisburg Area Community College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Harrisburg Area Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Harrisburg Area Community College, located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 21%.
- Retention Rate
- 54%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 17%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,203
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 13:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.64
- First-Gen Students
- 49%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Harrisburg Area Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Harrisburg Area Community College is $12,472, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $14,471. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,685 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $17,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $6,975
- Out-of-State
- $12,472
- Avg Net Price
- $14,471
- Median Debt
- $17,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 33%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 30%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $11,685
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $12,788
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $14,644
- Family Income $110K+
- $18,290
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Harrisburg Area Community College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Harrisburg Area Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Harrisburg Area Community College report median earnings of $42,007, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $36,499
- 8 Years
- $39,606
- 10 Years
- $42,007
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.42x
- Earning > $25K
- 56%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (59)
- 4%
- 100% (59)
- 4%
- 100% (59)
- 4%
- 100% (59)
- 4%
How Harrisburg Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Harrisburg Area Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Harrisburg Area Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $14,471/year ($57,884 total). Graduates earn $42,007 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $992,118 in total earnings — a net gain of $934,234 (17.1× your investment). The median debt is $17,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 21% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $57,884
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $992,118
- Net Return
- $934,234
- ROI Multiple
- 17.1×
- Cost Per Year
- $14,471
- Median Debt
- $17,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 21%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Harrisburg Area Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Harrisburg Area Community College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.00%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 10.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 9.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $72,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.00%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 9.8%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 10.3%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $98,095
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Federal Grants
- $3,905,687
- Investment Income
- $-143,428
Top Programs
The fields Harrisburg Area Community College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Health Professions 39% $70,729 early-career
- Business & Marketing 12% $40,898 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 8% $50,050 early-career
- Humanities 8%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 4% $60,079 early-career
- Education 3% $25,827 early-career
- Social Sciences 2% $30,854 early-career
- Criminal Justice 2% $38,698 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Harrisburg Area Community College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Harrisburg Area Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Harrisburg Area Community College, located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 21%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Harrisburg Area Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Harrisburg Area Community College is $12,472, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $14,471. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $11,685 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $17,500 in federal student loans.
Is Harrisburg Area Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Harrisburg Area Community College report median earnings of $42,007, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Harrisburg Area Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Harrisburg Area Community College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.00%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 10.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 9.8% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $72,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Harrisburg Area Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Harrisburg Area Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.26, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.05). Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Harrisburg Area Community College.
- Community College of Allegheny CountyPittsburgh, PA · Close peer24% grad $39,449 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Northampton County Area Community CollegeBethlehem, PA · Close peer22% grad $41,566 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Anne Arundel Community CollegeArnold, MD · Close peer28% grad $46,219 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Johnson County Community CollegeOverland Park, KS · Close peer30% grad $45,387 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Los Angeles Harbor CollegeWilmington, CA · Close peer36% grad $41,133 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- San Bernardino Valley CollegeSan Bernardino, CA · Close peer24% grad $39,676 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Harrisburg Area Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Harrisburg Area Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.26, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.05). Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note