Penn Commercial vs. PIA

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn Commercial Business/Technical School in Washington, PA with Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics in West Mifflin, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics is larger than Penn Commercial based on total student enrollment (663 students vs. 265 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn Commercial Business/Technical School is located in Washington, PA (Large Suburban setting); Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics is in West Mifflin, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• Penn Commercial Business/Technical School is a private, for-profit 2-year institution. Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics is a private, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn Commercial Business/Technical School 9:1; Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics 15:1.

Penn Commercial vs. PIA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn Commercial or PIA? 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 Penn Commercial Business/Technical School than PIA ($16,793 vs. $30,118).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn Commercial Business/Technical School are 36.8% lower than at Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics ($8,100 vs. $12,826).
• Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics is 37.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn Commercial (about $5,076 more per year; $18,730.00 vs. $13,654.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 37.2% higher at PIA than at Penn Commercial Business/Technical School (about $5,076 more per year; $18,730.00 vs. $13,654.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics than at Penn Commercial Business/Technical School (54% vs. 40%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn Commercial Business/Technical School students is 8.7% larger than aid received by Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics students ($7,699 vs. $7,080).

Penn Commercial vs. PIA Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn Commercial or PIA? 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 PIA and Penn Commercial.

• Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn Commercial - Test-free; PIA - Open admission.

Penn Commercial vs. PIA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn Commercial and PIA? 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 Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics earn a median of about $25,700 more per year than Penn Commercial graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,200 vs. $32,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn Commercial Business/Technical School graduates have a $2,498 lower median loan debt than PIA graduates ($12,000 vs. $14,498).
• Among borrowers, Penn Commercial graduates have an estimated $25 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than PIA graduates ($124 vs. $149).
• More PIA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn Commercial students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 36%)

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.