Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania shows: median public in-state tuition $20,645 (+274.6% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $52,374 (-3.6% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 86.9% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $18,583 (+38.4% vs U.S.) 10,347 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 5 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 10,347 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $20,645 (+274.6% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $52,374 (-3.6% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 86.9% (-1.0 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $14,924 (+49.7% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $18,583 (+38.3% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $13,000
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 33.9%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 73.9%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Pennsylvania and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Harrisburg vs Pennsylvania & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | $20,645 | $14,924 | $18,583 | 33.9% | 10,347 |
| Pennsylvania (state median) | $11,486 | $17,754 | $17,500 | 57.9% | 469,126 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | $52,374 | 86.9% | 73.9% | 12.6% | — | 59.4% | 0.52 |
| Pennsylvania (state median) | $62,101 | 87.2% | 78.6% | 4.5% | — | 79.3% | 0.43 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Pennsylvania (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | $20,645 | $14,924 | $18,583 | 33.9% | 10,347 | $52,374 | 86.9% |
| Philadelphia | $26,255 | $25,437 | $18,765 | 59.3% | 75,415 | $65,572 | 85.8% |
| Pittsburgh | $18,463 | $25,509 | $15,667 | 63.1% | 51,847 | $52,410 | 90.2% |
| Bethlehem | $36,006 | $27,006 | $15,495 | 79.8% | 16,100 | $83,722 | 81.4% |
| Reading | $15,972 | $22,190 | $20,885 | 50.7% | 9,432 | $58,700 | 88.3% |
| Media | $15,029 | $12,213 | $16,500 | 23.5% | 9,216 | $63,435 | 87.2% |
| Scranton | $18,400 | $21,354 | $18,075 | 75.7% | 8,482 | $65,234 | 80.9% |
| Erie | $20,645 | $22,553 | $18,500 | 60.2% | 8,356 | $58,845 | 87.2% |
| Lancaster | $31,070 | $20,407 | $18,250 | 68.6% | 7,065 | $44,096 | 78.9% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 33.9%, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Top 10 colleges in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 86.9%, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Top 10 most selective colleges in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 87.4%, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Top 10 colleges in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $47,944, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Top 10 colleges in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $74,043, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Top 10 colleges in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $34,365, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Top 10 colleges in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,842, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Top 10 colleges in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $52,374, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Top 10 colleges in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $144,962, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $15,376, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Top 10 colleges in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 73.9%, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
In-state tuition: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania median in-state tuition is $20,645, +274.6% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is $18,583 (+38.4% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $13,000.
Median earnings (10 years out): Harrisburg, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania center around $52,374 (-3.6% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 86.9% at the median Harrisburg, Pennsylvania campus (-1.0 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania median public in-state tuition is $20,645, about +274.6% vs the national median. Versus the Mid East region, tuition is +179.7%.
Median graduate debt is $18,583 (+38.4% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania are $52,374, about -3.6% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 86.9% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-1.0 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 73.9% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 12.6% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 59.4% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (86.9%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is 33.9% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Harrisburg?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 5 campuses in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Harrisburg?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Harrisburg is $20,645 and median net price is $14,924. For Pennsylvania overall, medians are $11,486 and $17,754; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Harrisburg?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Harrisburg is $52,374 vs $62,101 for Pennsylvania and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Harrisburg colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Harrisburg is $18,583 vs $17,500 for Pennsylvania and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Harrisburg?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (graduation) and Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Harrisburg?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 5 College Scorecard campuses in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Pennsylvania college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON