Harrisburg Area Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It enrolls 9,533 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Fair
49/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes12
Value40
Affordability39
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Harrisburg Area Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Harrisburg Area Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $14,471 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$14,471
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
33%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
30%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$6,975
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$12,472
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,024
Books & Supplies
$1,950
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,079
Total Cost of Attendance
$18,369
Net Price by Family Income
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
$11,685
$30,001 – $48,000
$12,788
$48,001 – $75,000
$14,644
$75,001 – $110,000
$16,995
Over $110,000
$18,290
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.
$2,00010%percentile
$3,59725%percentile
$17,500Medianpercentile
$17,29875%percentile
$30,99290%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 $9,500
↓ $8,000
No Pell $8,242
↓ $9,258
Dependent students $7,000
↓ $10,500
Independent students $12,506
↓ $4,994
Female students $9,500
↓ $8,000
Male students $8,250
↓ $9,250
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,718, less than completers ($17,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
18% of full-time students who enrolled at Harrisburg Area Community College graduate within six years, and 57% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
18%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
57%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Harrisburg Area Community College earn a median of $42,007 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$42,007
Earning > $25K
69%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$35,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$43,400
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$33,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$40,300
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$41,300
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,400, about 19% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
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 ↑
23.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 78% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Harrisburg Area Community College is home to 9,533 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 49% are first-generation college students, 68% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
9,533
Part-Time
68%
First-Generation
49%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 56.4%5,373
Hispanic 15.4%1,465
Black 12.4%1,179
Asian 6.5%617
Other 4.6%439
International 2.6%251
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Harrisburg Area Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityHarrisburg, Pennsylvania
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
31%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Harrisburg Area Community College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
76 distinct programs across
24 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.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Harrisburg Area Community College is 13:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,691
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$38M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$66,342
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
250 instructional faculty across 4 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
Full Professors
117
47%
$75,560
Associate Professors
65
26%
$60,214
Assistant Professors
37
15%
$56,178
Instructors
31
12%
$56,533
Pros & Cons of Harrisburg Area Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Harrisburg Area Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Harrisburg Area Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Harrisburg Area Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Harrisburg Area Community College.
Is Harrisburg Area Community College hard to get into?
Harrisburg Area Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Harrisburg Area Community College?
Harrisburg Area Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Harrisburg Area Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Harrisburg Area Community College is $14,471 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Harrisburg Area Community College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $42,007 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $14,471 per year. That's roughly 2.9x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Harrisburg Area Community College known for?
Harrisburg Area Community College is best known for its programs in Nursing, Liberal Arts, Business Administration. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Harrisburg Area Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Harrisburg Area Community College are $42,007, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Harrisburg Area Community College accredited?
Yes. Harrisburg Area Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Harrisburg Area Community College?
Harrisburg Area Community College enrolls 9,533 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Harrisburg Area Community College?
Harrisburg Area Community College graduates 18% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Harrisburg Area Community College a public or private college?
Harrisburg Area Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Harrisburg Area Community College located?
Harrisburg Area Community College is located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
What programs does Harrisburg Area Community College offer?
Harrisburg Area Community College offers 76 distinct programs. The most popular include Nursing, Liberal Arts, Business Administration.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Harrisburg Area Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Harrisburg Area Community College is 13:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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