About Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology
Thinking about Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology, a college in Pennsylvania where more students graduate in Health than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania. It enrolls 171 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorAccrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
Academic CalendarDiffers by Program
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Strong
80/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes95
Value58
Affordability65
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology admits 96.2% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
96.2%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
5.1 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $9,857 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$8,203
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,518
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,640
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,817
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,75010%percentile
$4,50025%percentile
$9,454Medianpercentile
$9,50075%percentile
$17,20090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $7,750
↓ $1,704
No Pell $5,500
↓ $3,954
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $3,954
Independent students $9,500
—
Female students $9,500
—
Male students $5,500
↓ $3,954
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,750, less than completers ($9,454), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
76% of students who start here finish within six years, and 85% come back after first year. Most people who start here leave with the degree they came for. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
76%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
85%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $41,677 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,677
Earning > $25K
71%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
12.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 72% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 171 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 55% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
171
Part-Time
19%
First-Generation
55%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 95.9%164
Hispanic 1.2%2
Asian 1.2%2
International 1.2%2
Black 0.6%1
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology offers
a varied set of programs:
11 distinct programs across
5 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 10 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.
Student : Faculty
10:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$16,111
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$56,405
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
20 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Instructors
20
100%
$56,405
Pros & Cons of Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Best for:
Based on the data, Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology
The questions families ask most about Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology hard to get into?
Not especially. Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 96.2%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology?
96.2% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology cost?
Budget around $9,857 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $41,677 a year against a net price of $9,857, about 4.2 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology known for?
Mostly Practical Nursing, Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Cosmetology. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology graduates earn?
About $41,677 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology accredited?
Yes. Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.
How many students attend Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology?
171 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology?
76% finish within six years. Most people who start here graduate, which is the signal you want. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology located?
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology is located in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania.
What programs does Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology offer?
11 different programs, most commonly Practical Nursing, Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Cosmetology. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology?
10 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Pennsylvania
Other colleges in Pennsylvania share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Allied Health Diagnostic
Cosmetology
Practical Nursing
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