Head-to-head comparison
Reading Area Community College vs All-State Career School-Pittsburgh: which has better ROI?
Option A Reading, PA
Reading Area Community College
- Net price / year
- $9,228
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,082
- Payback
- No payback
Option B West Mifflin, PA
All-State Career School-Pittsburgh
- Net price / year
- $15,576
- Earnings, 10 years
- $33,193
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Reading Area Community College comes closer — median earnings $39,082 against a $18,456 total, vs $33,193 at All-State Career School-Pittsburgh. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Reading Area Community College | All-State Career School-Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,228 | $15,576 |
| Total net cost | $18,456 | $62,304 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,082 | $33,193 |
| Median debt | $8,750 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$204,016 | -$365,644 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Reading Area Community College or All-State Career School-Pittsburgh?
Reading Area Community College, at $9,228 a year after aid versus $15,576 — a gap of $6,348 a year, or $43,848 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Reading Area Community College or All-State Career School-Pittsburgh graduates earn more?
Reading Area Community College graduates report a median $39,082 ten years after entry, $5,889 more than the $33,193 at All-State Career School-Pittsburgh. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Reading Area Community College or All-State Career School-Pittsburgh?
Reading Area Community College: its completers carry a median $8,750 in federal loans versus $9,500 at All-State Career School-Pittsburgh, a difference of $750. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
75% of students finish at All-State Career School-Pittsburgh, against 34% at Reading Area Community College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.