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Private nonprofit · 4-year

Cedar Crest College

Allentown, Pennsylvania

33
F
DR Rating
DegreeReturn Rating — Poor value

A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.

Break-even
+$8,825 over 10 years

Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.

The payoff is roughly break-even — the degree recovers its cost, but slowly.

9.1 yrs
Break-even
+10%
10-year ROI
$54,330
Median earnings as of 2024
76% of Cedar Crest College students earn more than a typical U.S. high-school graduate (about $28,000/yr) ten years after starting — measured from IRS tax records, not surveys.

The numbers behind the verdict

$18,659
Average net price / yr as of 2024
$54,330
Median earnings (5 yr) as of 2024
$70,321
Median earnings (1 yr) as of 2024
$27,000
Median debt at graduation as of 2024
60%
Graduation rate as of 2024
76%
Earn more than a HS grad as of 2024
65%
Repaying their loans (3 yr) as of 2024
71%
Retention rate as of 2024

Lifetime ROI: the long view

Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.

$8,825
After 10 years
$102,125
After 20 years
$195,425
After 30 years
$288,725
After 40 years

Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.

Equity & access

Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.

By gender
Women
$59,203
Men
$62,414

5% gap between the two groups

By family-income background
From lower-income families
$48,157
From higher-income families
$64,027

25% gap between the two groups

By student status (FAFSA)
Dependent students
$58,894
Independent students
$60,177

2% gap between the two groups

43%
First-generation students
70%
Take federal student loans
92%
Born in the U.S.
Who studies here
White 47%Hispanic 18%Asian 4%Black 10%Other 21%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.

Net price by family income

What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.

Family incomeAverage net price / yr
Family income $0–$30k$21,044
$30k–$48k$24,250
$48k–$75k$21,490
$75k–$110k$19,909
$110k+$11,008

How Cedar Crest College compares

This college against the Pennsylvania and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.

Graduate earnings over time

Median earnings of Cedar Crest College students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.

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Best-paying majors at Cedar Crest College

Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.

MajorCredentialEarnings (5 yr)Median debt10-yr ROIVerdict
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's$80,463$29,170+640%Strong return
Foods, Nutrition, and Related ServicesAssociate's$54,330+150%Strong return
Education, GeneralCertificate$61,498+121%Strong return
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition ServicesProfessional$56,822$20,500+44%Break-even
Social WorkAssociate's$47,431-35%Poor return
Psychology, GeneralAssociate's$47,499$28,000-47%Poor return
CriminologyAssociate's$46,299-65%Poor return

Calculate your own ROI

Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.

ROI at Cedar Crest College

Or pick your to set cost

Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.

10-yr net gain
Break-even
10-yr ROI

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Admissions & profile

84%
Admission rate
0
Average SAT
25
Median ACT
834
Undergraduates

Location

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.

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