Alcorn State University
Alcorn State, Mississippi · Public · 45.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 16/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Alcorn State University, an 1890 land-grant HBCU in southwest Mississippi, scores 16 - Below Benchmark tier. The numbers are sobering: average earnings six years after entry are $26,900, median ten-year earnings $36,421, against $27,000 in median debt for a 1.004 debt-to-earnings ratio. The payback period reads 135.9 years - the scorecard's way of saying earnings never recoup full cost. Repayment is the weakest sub-score: only 54.1% of borrowers are paying down principal at three years (sub-score 11). In-state tuition is $8,785 (PR-flagship low) but net price is $13,265. Four-year total cost is $53,060. The one bright spot is completion at 57.4% (sub-score 55) at an HBCU serving a high-need population (Pell rate 69.8%). The strongest counter-signal is the nursing program: 36 graduates earning $85K in year one (a B+ A-adjacent ROI). Outside nursing, the broader program lineup faces tough earnings/debt math reflecting the rural Mississippi labor market. This is mission-critical access education whose financial math is genuinely difficult.
How Alcorn State University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score16/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.00 - Median debt is larger than one year of average earnings six years after entry (a ratio above 1.0).
- Payback period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped within a working career.
Alcorn State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,785/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $8,785/yr |
| Average net price | $13,265/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $53,060 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $36,421 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 57.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,363 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $8,785/year, which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $13,265/year, or roughly $53,060 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $12,613/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $17,620/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($26,900) and comes to 1.00, 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $12,613 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,344 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,296 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $18,244 |
| $110,001+ | $17,620 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $12,613 net - close to the average. Four-year cost is around $50,500, against $36,421 in 10-year median earnings. The math is hard: four-year cost exceeds 10-year earnings by ~$14K. The Pell-heavy student body still faces substantial unmet need; many graduates carry debt that exceeds annual earnings.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $16,296 net, with four-year cost roughly $65,200. Brackets march upward but somewhat unevenly: the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $12,344, actually slightly below the under-$30K bracket's $12,613 - a mild inversion. Four-year cost at middle-income lands well above 10-year earnings.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $18,244, and $110,000+ pays $17,620 - a slight inversion at the top, where higher earners pay less than upper-middle. Likely sample variance given small high-income enrollment at an HBCU. Four-year cost at the top tier is around $70,500; financial math is upside-down regardless of income.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Alcorn State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $40,379 | F |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $42,321 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $39,841 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $93,159 | B+ |
| Social Work | $46,157 | C |
| Agricultural Business and Management | $62,499 | C |
| Psychology | $35,015 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $41,908 | D |
| Agriculture, General | $37,771 | D |
| Accounting | $27,472 | F |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Alcorn's clear standout: 36 graduates earning $85,255 in year one and $93,159 by year four against $28,100 debt - a 0.330 debt-to-earnings ratio and B+ grade. Strong placement at Mississippi Delta and Baton Rouge healthcare systems plus federal hospital corps roles drives the outcomes. The lone defensible ROI track at the school.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is the second-largest program at 48 graduates earning $29,482 in year one and $39,841 by year four against $27,954 debt - a 0.948 ratio and D grade. The rural-Mississippi business labor market caps earnings sharply; debt is at the federal-loan limit. Graduates working in regional banking, retail management, and small-business administration face stagnant wages.
Biology
Biology is the largest single program at 108 graduates earning $27,607 in year one and $40,379 by year four against $30,500 debt - a 1.105 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade. Most graduates appear to be pre-med/pre-health feeders; bachelor's-only outcomes are weak. The high debt for a feeder degree is a major concern. Students should plan for graduate school continuation.
Agricultural Business and Management
Agricultural Business is one of the few non-nursing programs with solid outcomes: 25 graduates earning $44,330 in year one and $62,499 by year four against $25,125 debt (0.567 ratio, C grade). Alcorn's land-grant agricultural heritage shows here - graduates feed Mississippi Delta agribusiness, USDA extension, and federal agricultural employment effectively.
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Liberal Arts produces 52 graduates earning $26,269 in year one and $42,321 by year four against $39,250 debt - a 1.494 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade. The highest debt load in the school against modest earnings creates the worst ROI combination. This is a degree-completion track that loads substantial debt without a clear career-track payoff.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 46.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 54.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 36.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 35.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Alcorn State University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 45.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 270-485 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 400-513 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 15-19 |
| Enrollment | 2,363 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 69.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,235 |
Alcorn admits 45.3% of applicants - moderately selective. SAT mid-ranges (Math 270-485, Reading 400-513) and ACT 15-19 reflect a student body arriving with significant academic preparation gaps; the 25th-percentile SAT Math is 270. The 57.4% completion rate is actually solid given that profile - Alcorn does meaningful persistence work with the students it admits. Selectivity here is a quality-of-fit signal more than a gatekeeping function.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcorn State University (this school) | 16 | $13,265 | $36,421 |
| Delta State University | 29 | $13,540 | $41,991 |
| Shawnee State University | 18 | $14,381 | $39,596 |
| Western New Mexico University | 17 | $8,522 | $39,095 |
| University of Maine at Augusta | 15 | $10,924 | $40,342 |
| Jackson State University | 14 | $23,836 | $39,060 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Alcorn State University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Alcorn fits Mississippi students - especially Black students drawn to the HBCU mission - aiming at nursing, agricultural business, social work, education, and public-service careers. Pell rate of 69.8% indicates a very high-need student body; enrollment of 2,363 supports a small-mid HBCU environment. Strong fit for students seeking the cultural and academic community of an HBCU with reasonable tuition. The nursing pipeline is genuinely exceptional; agricultural-business is solid. Other tracks face significant rural-Mississippi labor-market constraints.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Alcorn State University scores 16/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $13,265 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $36,421 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.00 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 54.1% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $26,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.00. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Alcorn State University: Common Questions
Is Alcorn State University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Alcorn State University scores 16/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $13,265 a year after aid against $36,421 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Alcorn State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $13,265 a year, or roughly $53,060 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Alcorn State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $36,421 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Alcorn State University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at more than 50 years for Alcorn State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Alcorn State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $26,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.00. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so how much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Alcorn State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 57.4%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.