Western Area Career & Technology Center
Canonsburg, PA 15317
About Western Area Career & Technology Center
Western Area Career & Technology Center is a public certificate and vocational school in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, enrolling about 23 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $43,189 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $43,189.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Western Area Career & Technology Center is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1239% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Area Career & Technology Center | — | $8,066 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Pennsylvania (state median) | $19,450 | $17,754 | 181 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Western Area Career & Technology Center really?
Key findings
- Average net price runs below the Pennsylvania median net price.
Evidence: average net price at Western Area Career & Technology Center versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Western Area Career & Technology Center is $8,066.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $8,066 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $9,688 below the Pennsylvania median net price.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Western Area Career & Technology Center: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Western Area Career & Technology Center—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
Median earnings should be read with net price, debt, and completion—not as a standalone quality score.
Financial profile
Avg. net price
$8,066
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $2,520 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $13,612 |
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Western Area Career & Technology Center is known for
Top program completions
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Western Area Career & Technology Center a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Western Area Career & Technology Center is a good school for those looking for strong graduate earnings outcomes in College Scorecard data.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Western Area Career & Technology Center.
Campus
Location
Canonsburg, PA
City / state
- ZIP
- 15317
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Mid East
Size
Enrollment
23
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 24
- Full-time share
- 22%
Student aid
Debt & aid
- Pell grant share
- 79.55%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional where not shown.
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Western Area Career & Technology Center.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Western Area Career & Technology Center was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Western Area Career & Technology Center in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2021 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | — | — | $9,266 |
| 2014 | — | — | $9,251 |
| 2015 | — | — | $9,108 |
| 2016 | — | — | $10,119 |
| 2017 | — | — | $10,157 |
| 2018 | — | — | $8,262 |
| 2019 | — | — | $7,940 |
| 2020 | — | — | $9,826 |
| 2021 | — | — | $12,703 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Western Area Career & Technology Center reported total enrollment of about 23 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 0% male and 100% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (73.9%), Black or African American (26.1%), and Hispanic or Latino (0.0%). About 79.55% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 58.9% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
21.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Western Area Career & Technology Center in 2024 is 23 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 24 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
50.0%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
0.00% 100% Completion Time
0.00% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 0.00% of students graduating from Western Area Career & Technology Center completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training: 0% male / 100% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Western Area Career & Technology Center graduates earn a median of $43,189 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Western Area Career & Technology Center.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $43,189. Average net price used in cost models: $8,066.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Western Area Career & Technology Center graduates report median earnings of $43,189 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Western Area Career & Technology Center.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 1 programs by IPEDS completions (2 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Western Area Career & Technology Center.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Western Area Career & Technology Center graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Western Area Career & Technology Center—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $5,468
- Pennsylvania median 0.63× the median ($8,615)
- Mid East median 0.60× the median ($9,164)
- U.S. median 0.75× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
Western Area Career & Technology Center at a glance
Western Area Career & Technology Center
Western Area Career & Technology Center is a public institution in Canonsburg, PA.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian73.9%Black or African American26.1%Hispanic or Latino0.0%
Schools near Western Area Career & Technology Center
Other campuses in Canonsburg, PA when available, plus nearby institutions in Pennsylvania.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Pennsylvania, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Western Area Career & Technology Center located?
Western Area Career & Technology Center is located in Canonsburg, PA.
How much does Western Area Career & Technology Center cost?
Reported tuition is N/A and average net price is $8,066 in the latest College Scorecard data.
What is the student body demographics at Western Area Career & Technology Center?
Western Area Career & Technology Center reports undergraduate enrollment of about 24 students, White (73.9%), Black or African American (26.1%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Western Area Career & Technology Center?
About 58.9% of students at Western Area Career & Technology Center are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Western Area Career & Technology Center earn?
Median earnings are $42,272 six years after entry and $43,189 ten years after entry.
Is Western Area Career & Technology Center public or private?
Western Area Career & Technology Center is a public institution located in Canonsburg, PA.
Is Western Area Career & Technology Center an HBCU?
No. Western Area Career & Technology Center is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Western Area Career & Technology Center a tribal college?
No. Western Area Career & Technology Center is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Western Area Career & Technology Center a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Western Area Career & Technology Center does not meet that proxy (reported share 0.0%).
Is Western Area Career & Technology Center religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for Western Area Career & Technology Center in IPEDS institutional characteristics.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.