Head-to-head comparison
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania vs La Roche University: which has better ROI?
Option A Slippery Rock, PA
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
- Net price / year
- $19,608
- Earnings, 10 years
- $53,032
- Payback
- 16.8 yrs
Option B Pittsburgh, PA
La Roche University
- Net price / year
- $20,794
- Earnings, 10 years
- $52,341
- Payback
- 20.9 yrs
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $78,432 in 16.8 years versus 20.9 years at La Roche University, on median earnings of $53,032 vs $52,341 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | La Roche University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $19,608 | $20,794 |
| Total net cost | $78,432 | $83,176 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $53,032 | $52,341 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Payback | 16.8 yrs | 20.9 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $15,008 | -$3,556 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania or La Roche University?
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, at $19,608 a year after aid versus $20,794 — a gap of $1,186 a year, or $4,744 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 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania or La Roche University graduates earn more?
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania graduates report a median $53,032 ten years after entry, $691 more than the $52,341 at La Roche University. 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, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania or La Roche University?
Completers at both borrow a median $25,000, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
66% of students finish at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, against 57% at La Roche University. 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.