CTI vs. RACC

Comparable Facts

Compare Commonwealth Technical Institute in Johnstown, PA with Reading Area Community College in Reading, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Reading Area Community College is larger than CTI based on total student enrollment (5,369 students vs. 146 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Commonwealth Technical Institute is located in Johnstown, PA (Small Suburban setting); Reading Area Community College is in Reading, PA (Small City setting).
• Commonwealth Technical Institute is a private, non-profit 2-year institution. Reading Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Commonwealth Technical Institute 6:1; Reading Area Community College 19:1.

CTI vs. RACC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CTI or RACC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Reading Area Community College than CTI ($9,089 vs. $11,714).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Commonwealth Technical Institute are 16.4% lower than at Reading Area Community College ($9,028 vs. $10,800).
• Reading Area Community College is 46.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than CTI (about $3,596 more per year; $11,310.00 vs. $7,714.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 62.2% higher at RACC than at Commonwealth Technical Institute (about $4,796 more per year; $12,510.00 vs. $7,714.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Reading Area Community College than at Commonwealth Technical Institute (74% vs. 59%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Commonwealth Technical Institute students is 63.5% larger than aid received by Reading Area Community College students ($9,162 vs. $5,603).

CTI vs. RACC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CTI or RACC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between RACC and CTI.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CTI - Open admission; RACC - Open admission.

CTI vs. RACC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CTI and RACC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Reading Area Community College earn a median of about $18,100 more per year than CTI graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,200 vs. $15,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.