Business/Commerce at Community College of Philadelphia

Community College of Philadelphia's business program lags behind several Pennsylvania community colleges, landing in just the 40th percentile statewide—meaning 60% of similar programs in the state produce better earnings outcomes. Starting at $35,122, graduates earn about $1,200 less than the state median and fall short of the national benchmark. Nearby community colleges like Lehigh Carbon ($47,276) and Luzerne County ($38,515) demonstrate that stronger outcomes are achievable at the same credential level, often with similar tuition costs and accessibility for working-class students.

The debt load of $13,437 is manageable—representing about five months of first-year income—and the 25% earnings growth to $43,798 by year four shows decent trajectory. For students who need to stay in Philadelphia and can't relocate for better community college options, this program won't derail their finances. The robust sample size (100+ graduates) gives confidence these numbers reflect real outcomes, not statistical noise.

However, if your child has the flexibility to commute or attend elsewhere in Pennsylvania, the data suggests they should explore other options first. The gap between this program and top-performing PA community colleges represents $4,000-12,000 annually in lost earnings—money that compounds significantly over a career.