Location: Philadelphia, PA•In-State Tuition: $4,632•Out-of-State Tuition: $12,440
Median Earnings (1yr)
$35,122
44th percentile
40th percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Debt
$13,437
At national median
D/E Ratio: 0.38 ManageableSample: 116 graduates

Analysis

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.

Where Community College of Philadelphia Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all business/commerce associates's programs nationally

Community College of PhiladelphiaOther business/commerce programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Earnings Distribution

How Community College of Philadelphia graduates compare to all programs nationally

Community College of Philadelphia earns $35k — 44th percentile among business/commerce associates programs.

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School1 Year4 YearsGrowth
Community College of Philadelphia$35,122$43,798+25%
Montgomery County Community College$36,274$50,580+39%
Strayer University-Pennsylvania$44,154$47,516+8%
Northampton County Area Community College$28,503$42,227+48%
Lehigh Carbon Community College$47,276$41,038-13%

Compare to Similar Programs in Pennsylvania

Business/Commerce associates's programs at peer institutions in Pennsylvania (20 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
Community College of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia$4,632$35,122$43,798$13,4370.38
Lehigh Carbon Community CollegeSchnecksville$5,215$47,276$41,038$11,5000.24
Strayer University-PennsylvaniaTrevose$13,920$44,154$47,516$32,8100.74
Luzerne County Community CollegeNanticoke$6,450$38,515$34,401$10,7500.28
Harrisburg Area Community CollegeHarrisburg$7,373$36,708$39,256$19,9760.54
Montgomery County Community CollegeBlue Bell$6,270$36,274$50,580$11,0000.30
National Median—$36,591—$13,4370.37

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with business/commerce graduates

Sales Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the actual distribution or movement of a product or service to the customer. Coordinate sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals and establish training programs for sales representatives. Analyze sales statistics gathered by staff to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and monitor the preferences of customers.

$138,060/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Industrial Production Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the work activities and resources necessary for manufacturing products in accordance with cost, quality, and quantity specifications.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Quality Control Systems Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate quality assurance programs. Formulate quality control policies and control quality of laboratory and production efforts.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Geothermal Production Managers

Manage operations at geothermal power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor geothermal plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Biofuels Production Managers

Manage biofuels production and plant operations. Collect and process information on plant production and performance, diagnose problems, and design corrective procedures.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Biomass Power Plant Managers

Manage operations at biomass power generation facilities. Direct work activities at plant, including supervision of operations and maintenance staff.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Hydroelectric Production Managers

Manage operations at hydroelectric power generation facilities. Maintain and monitor hydroelectric plant equipment for efficient and safe plant operations.

$121,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Construction Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate, usually through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems. Participate in the conceptual development of a construction project and oversee its organization, scheduling, budgeting, and implementation. Includes managers in specialized construction fields, such as carpentry or plumbing.

$106,980/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Administrative Services Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate one or more administrative services of an organization, such as records and information management, mail distribution, and other office support services.

$106,880/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Facilities Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate operations and functionalities of facilities and buildings. May include surrounding grounds or multiple facilities of an organization's campus.

$106,880/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Security Managers

Direct an organization's security functions, including physical security and safety of employees and facilities.

$106,880/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Chief Executives

Determine and formulate policies and provide overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within guidelines set up by a board of directors or similar governing body. Plan, direct, or coordinate operational activities at the highest level of management with the help of subordinate executives and staff managers.

$105,350/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Community College of Philadelphia, approximately 53% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 116 graduates with reported earnings and 234 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.