Reading Area Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Reading, Pennsylvania. It enrolls 3,703 students (a mid-sized 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.
Good
62/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes35
Value58
Affordability52
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Reading 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 Reading 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 $9,228 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$9,228
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
35%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
20%
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)
$6,480
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$12,510
Room & Board (off-campus)
$10,800
Books & Supplies
$1,800
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,000
Total Cost of Attendance
$14,563
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
$7,968
$30,001 – $48,000
$8,553
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,987
$75,001 – $110,000
$12,121
Over $110,000
$14,049
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.
$1,70010%percentile
$3,00025%percentile
$8,750Medianpercentile
$14,25075%percentile
$28,50090%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 $9,225
↑ $475
No Pell $5,500
↓ $3,250
Dependent students $5,618
↓ $3,132
Independent students $9,500
↑ $750
Female students $8,250
↓ $500
Male students $8,000
↓ $750
What this means:
35% of students receive Pell grants. Most cost is borne by families above Pell thresholds. Verify your individual aid offer before deciding.
Graduation Rate & Retention
9% of full-time students who enrolled at Reading Area Community College graduate within six years, and 65% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
9%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
65%
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 Reading Area Community College earn a median of $39,082 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$39,082
Earning > $25K
65%
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
$31,800
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$39,200
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$30,500
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$37,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$41,000
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $7,400, 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 ↑
26.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 71% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Reading Area Community College is home to 3,703 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 54% are first-generation college students, 73% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
3,703
Part-Time
73%
First-Generation
54%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 48.5%1,796
White 30.8%1,140
Black 10.6%394
Other 5.8%215
Asian 1.2%44
International 0.5%17
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Reading Area Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityReading, Pennsylvania
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
26%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Reading Area Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
35 distinct programs across
20 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 Reading Area Community College is 20:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
20:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,188
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$20M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$58,594
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
52 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
14
27%
$70,258
Associate Professors
15
29%
$59,534
Assistant Professors
9
17%
$56,488
Instructors
14
27%
$52,901
Pros & Cons of Reading Area Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Reading Area Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Reading Area Community College 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; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Reading Area Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Reading Area Community College.
Is Reading Area Community College hard to get into?
Reading Area Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Reading Area Community College?
Reading Area Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Reading Area Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Reading Area Community College is $9,228 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Reading Area Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $39,082 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $9,228 per year. That's roughly 4.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Reading Area Community College known for?
Reading Area Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Reading Area Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Reading Area Community College are $39,082, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Reading Area Community College accredited?
Yes. Reading Area Community College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Reading Area Community College?
Reading Area Community College enrolls 3,703 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Reading Area Community College?
Reading Area Community College graduates 9% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Reading Area Community College a public or private college?
Reading Area Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Reading Area Community College located?
Reading Area Community College is located in Reading, Pennsylvania.
What programs does Reading Area Community College offer?
Reading Area Community College offers 35 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Reading Area Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Reading Area Community College is 20:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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