Location: Washington, PA•In-State Tuition: $13,654•Admission Rate: 73%
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$43,415
Est. from PA median (9 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$6,333
Est. from PA median (7 programs)

Analysis

Transportation training programs in Pennsylvania cluster tightly around $43,000 in first-year earnings, and Penn Commercial appears positioned right in that middle band based on comparable programs. With estimated debt of just $6,300—lower than the national median of $7,700—the financial equation here looks straightforward: a debt load that represents about 15% of first-year earnings, manageable by nearly any standard.

The ceiling matters, though. Looking at actual reported outcomes from other Pennsylvania schools, the top earners in this field hit $46,900 to $59,300 in their first year. That suggests transportation training can lead to solid middle-class work, but outcomes vary significantly by employer connections and specialization. Penn Commercial's location near Pittsburgh could offer advantages in regional trucking and logistics markets, but without actual graduate outcomes from this specific program, it's impossible to know whether their placements skew toward the higher or lower end of that range.

For a short certificate with modest debt, this represents a low-risk credential if your child is committed to transportation work. The debt won't become crushing even if earnings land at the lower end, and the field offers stable demand. Just recognize you're buying into a program based on what similar schools produce, not proven track record from Penn Commercial itself in this particular credential.

Where Penn Commercial Business/Technical School Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all ground transportation certificate's programs nationally

Penn Commercial Business/Technical School (estimated ±10%)Other ground transportation programs

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Pennsylvania

Ground Transportation certificate's programs at peer institutions in Pennsylvania (18 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Penn Commercial Business/Technical SchoolWashington$13,654$43,415*—$6,333*—
Community College of Allegheny CountyPittsburgh$4,842$59,330*—$11,000*0.19
Miller-Motte College-Berks Technical InstituteWyomissing—$46,909*$39,461$7,875*0.17
Miller-Motte College-Berks Technical Institute-AllentownAllentown—$46,909*$39,461$7,875*0.17
Fortis Institute-ScrantonScranton$14,444$46,797*$46,186$6,333*0.14
Rosedale Technical CollegePittsburgh$16,700$43,415*$38,458$3,325*0.08
National Median—$41,414*—$7,706*0.19
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with ground transportation graduates

Locomotive Engineers

Drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas-turbine-electric locomotives to transport passengers or freight. Interpret train orders, electronic or manual signals, and railroad rules and regulations.

$75,680/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers

Drive switching or other locomotive or dinkey engines within railroad yard, industrial plant, quarry, construction project, or similar location.

$75,680/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers

Operate or monitor railroad track switches or locomotive instruments. May couple or uncouple rolling stock to make up or break up trains. Watch for and relay traffic signals. May inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and hand brakes. May watch for dragging equipment or obstacles on rights-of-way.

$75,680/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters

Coordinate activities of switch-engine crew within railroad yard, industrial plant, or similar location. Conductors coordinate activities of train crew on passenger or freight trains. Yardmasters review train schedules and switching orders and coordinate activities of workers engaged in railroad traffic operations, such as the makeup or breakup of trains and yard switching.

$75,680/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach vocational courses intended to provide occupational training below the baccalaureate level in subjects such as construction, mechanics/repair, manufacturing, transportation, or cosmetology, primarily to students who have graduated from or left high school. Teaching takes place in public or private schools whose primary business is academic or vocational education.

$62,910/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

Operate equipment used for applying concrete, asphalt, or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways or for tamping gravel, dirt, or other materials. Includes concrete and asphalt paving machine operators, form tampers, tamping machine operators, and stone spreader operators.

$58,320/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Pile Driver Operators

Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures such as buildings, bridges, and piers.

$58,320/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.

$58,320/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Includes tow truck drivers.

$57,440/yrJobs growth:Postsecondary nondegree award

Logging Equipment Operators

Drive logging tractor or wheeled vehicle equipped with one or more accessories, such as bulldozer blade, frontal shear, grapple, logging arch, cable winches, hoisting rack, or crane boom, to fell tree; to skid, load, unload, or stack logs; or to pull stumps or clear brush. Includes operating stand-alone logging machines, such as log chippers.

$49,540/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Bus Drivers, School

Drive a school bus to transport students. Ensure adherence to safety rules. May assist students in boarding or exiting.

$48,370/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity

Drive bus or motor coach, including regular route operations, charters, and private carriage. May assist passengers with baggage. May collect fares or tickets.

$48,370/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent
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 Penn Commercial Business/Technical School, approximately 45% 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.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 9 similar programs in PA. Actual outcomes may vary.