Benedict College
Columbia, South Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 95.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 4/100 · Poor Value
Benedict College scores 4/100 - one of the lowest ROI scores in the dataset - and lands in the Poor Value tier. The numbers are stark: a 24.3% completion rate, median ten-year earnings of $31,902 that produce a negative earnings premium of -4.2% (graduates earn less than typical high-school-only earners in South Carolina), and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.526 - meaning typical graduates owe more than 1.5 times their first-year earnings. The 999-year payback flag indicates earnings never recoup the cost of attendance against typical wages. Only 24.3% of borrowers are progressing on loans three years after entry. Tuition is $17,440 and the average net price is $18,250 (net price exceeds tuition, signaling limited institutional aid). Four-year total cost runs $73,000 against $32,500 median debt. This is an HBCU with a meaningful mission, but the financial data, as of 2024-2025, is uncomfortable: graduates earn less than non-graduates, carry heavy debt, and struggle to repay. The community matters and the cultural value is real, but the economic case is genuinely broken at this institution.
The data raises concerns about Benedict College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score4/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.53 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate24.3% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Benedict College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $17,440/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $17,440/yr |
| Average net price | $18,250/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $73,000 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $31,902 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $21,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $32,500 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $345 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 24.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,536 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Benedict College is $17,440/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $18,250/year, or roughly $73,000 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $17,177/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,328/year.
The median graduate leaves with $32,500 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $345 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $31,902 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.53 - above the recommended threshold where total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
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 | $17,177 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $18,686 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,295 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,250 |
| $110,001+ | $20,328 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $17,177 per year, or roughly $69,000 over four years. With 62.3% of students Pell-eligible, this is the modal income bracket. The price is barely lower than higher-income brackets, indicating institutional aid is thin. Federal Pell + Direct Loans will not bridge the gap without parental contribution or work earnings.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households in the $48,001-$75,000 range pay $19,295 annually, slightly higher than the lowest bracket. Over four years that's $77,000 against $31,902 median ten-year earnings. The math doesn't work. Middle-income families should compare aggressively against the South Carolina state public system and HBCUs with stronger ROI profiles.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $20,328 - only modestly higher than lower brackets, suggesting a relatively flat net price structure with little merit aid differentiation. At this bracket, families have many alternatives that produce better economic outcomes. Choosing Benedict at this income level is a values choice, not a financial one.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Benedict College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $36,966 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $41,811 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $39,337 | F |
| Communication and Media Studies | $37,638 | - |
| Psychology | $27,620 | - |
| Social Work | $30,295 | F |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $33,120 | - |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $34,129 | F |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $41,158 | F |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | $41,372 | 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.
Biology
Biology is Benedict's largest program (53 graduates). $22,805 first-year earnings rising only to $36,966 by year four against $35,031 median debt yields a 1.536 ratio and F grade. Biology majors typically need graduate or professional school to earn meaningfully; without that pathway, the bachelor's alone produces a hard financial situation. Pre-med-track students who reach medical school have a different trajectory.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business administration produces 38 graduates with $28,419 first-year earnings rising to $41,811 by year four. The $34,000 median debt against modest earnings yields a 1.196 ratio and F grade. Business majors at higher-ROI schools typically clear $50K+ first-year; the gap reflects both regional labor market and institutional brand. Aggressive internship pursuit during enrollment is essential.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal justice produces 28 graduates with $23,838 first-year earnings rising to $39,337 by year four. The $40,750 median debt - among the highest at the school - against modest earnings produces a 1.709 ratio and F grade. Public-sector career paths qualify for PSLF, which is essential to making the math survivable for graduates. Plan IDR + PSLF from day one of repayment.
Social Work
Social work produces 12 graduates with $30,295 first-year earnings and $39,200 median debt - a 1.294 ratio and F grade. Like criminal justice, social work qualifies for PSLF in most public and nonprofit settings, which is essential to the real ROI. Without PSLF, the standard repayment math is genuinely untenable.
Psychology
Psychology produces 20 graduates with $27,620 first-year earnings. Median debt and ratio are not reported (likely incomplete reporting), but the earnings level alone signals weak ROI for a terminal bachelor's. Psychology requires graduate school to convert into real earnings power - and graduate school adds debt on top of an already strained bachelor's investment.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 15.2% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 24.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 17.2% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 21.7% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 95.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,536 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 62.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,890 |
Benedict admits 95.7% of applicants - effectively open admission. No SAT or ACT mid-ranges are reported. The 95% admit rate combined with the 24.3% completion rate is the central tension: three-quarters of entering students never finish. The admissions filter doesn't predict graduation. This is a school where the hard part begins at orientation, not the application.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Among the peers, Benedict sits in a cluster of similarly-positioned HBCUs and small minority-serving institutions. Allen University, Miles College, Virginia Union University, and Lane College share the HBCU mission and similar weak ROI metrics - low completion, modest earnings, high debt loads. Anderson University SC is a non-HBCU regional private with significantly stronger outcomes. Across this peer set, Benedict's metrics are among the weakest, but the structural challenges - serving high-need student populations with limited endowment resources - are shared across the cluster.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benedict College (this school) | 4 | $18,250 | $31,902 |
| Alabama State University | 5 | $20,435 | $34,502 |
| Livingstone College | 4 | $13,479 | $32,600 |
| Shaw University | 4 | $16,512 | $34,409 |
| Central State University | 4 | $13,096 | $33,267 |
| Jarvis Christian University | 4 | $9,825 | $32,992 |
Who Thrives Here
Benedict fits students drawn to the HBCU community experience and a faith-rooted mission with a deeply working-class student body (62.3% Pell rate). Enrollment of 1,536 keeps it mid-sized for the segment. The honest reality: students entering should be aware that 75% of peers won't graduate, debt loads exceed first-year earnings, and the wage premium over non-graduates is negative on average. The cultural and community value is real; the financial value is not. Students should pursue Benedict only with eyes fully open and a clear plan for cost containment (maximum federal aid, no private loans, no co-signed debt).
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Benedict College. With a net cost of $18,250 per year and median graduate earnings of only $31,902 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 24.3% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $32,500 against $31,902 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.02 exceeds the commonly recommended threshold. Major choice is critical here.
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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.