Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at Pennsylvania State University (The) - Altoona
PA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 24.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree from Pennsylvania State University (The) - Altoona earn a median salary of $42,423 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in PA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $43,245. The degree typically pays for itself in 18.6 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$33,162
Typical Career
$42,423
Top Performers
$55,181
Estimated break-even: 18.6 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$283
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,535. Most students can comfortably afford about a $283 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Pennsylvania buys what costs $0.98 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Manufacturing.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$43,245
Nominal: $42,423 in Pennsylvania (COL 98.1% of national avg) · 1.9% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $24,746 | $33,758 | $47,346 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $33,162 | $42,423 | $55,181 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $36,766 | $51,789 | $74,015 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $42,423 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in PA, which has a cost-of-living index of 98.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $42,423 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9810)
= $43,245 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries that graduates enter include Health Care & Social Assistance (24.5%), Educational Services (12.8%), and Manufacturing (11.2%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 18.6 years, indicating a long-term return on investment. While the initial earnings may not be high, the upward trajectory and diverse employment opportunities in stable sectors suggest a reasonable overall ROI for graduates in this field.
AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.
Compare with Another School
See how the Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities degree at Pennsylvania State University (The) - Altoona stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.