Bennett College
Greensboro, North Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 50.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 6/100 · Poor Value
Bennett College earns an ROI score of 6 out of 100 -- one of the weakest profiles in the dataset and a frank Poor Value tier rating. The headline numbers are alarming: a 25% completion rate (three of every four entering students do not finish), $23,200 median earnings six years out (climbing only to $36,654 by year ten), $28,130 in median debt against those earnings for a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.213, and a paybackPeriodYears value of 153.1 -- which functionally means earnings never recoup the cost of attendance under standard assumptions. In-state tuition is $19,140; net price runs $28,299 (higher than tuition because room, board, and fees push total cost up while institutional aid is thin), producing a four-year total cost of $113,196. The repayment rate of 37% means more borrowers are not reducing principal than are. Bennett is a historic women's HBCU with a tiny enrollment of 178, and its mission and cultural value are real -- but the financial-outcome math here is brutal and prospective students deserve to see it clearly before signing loan paperwork.
The data raises concerns about Bennett College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score6/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.21 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate25.0% - 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.
Bennett College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $19,140/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $19,140/yr |
| Average net price | $28,299/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $113,196 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $36,654 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $23,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $28,130 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $298 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 25.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 178 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Bennett College is $19,140/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $28,299/year, or roughly $113,196 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $27,576/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,527/year.
The median graduate leaves with $28,130 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $298 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $36,654 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.21 - 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 | $27,576 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $28,109 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $31,569 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $34,862 |
| $110,001+ | $20,527 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay a net price of $27,576 -- nearly the sticker tuition figure. Bennett's institutional-aid pool is thin, so even students bringing the full $7,395 Pell grant face roughly $20,000 of unmet need annually. Four-year out-of-pocket exposure of $110,000+ against $23,200 median earnings is a structural mismatch that loan repayment cannot bridge.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $31,569 net -- higher than the published tuition of $19,140 once room, board, and fees are added. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket climbs further to $34,862. Middle-income families face the worst absolute net prices here. Four-year cost approaches $140,000; against $36,654 median 10-year earnings the debt math simply does not close.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay only $20,527 net -- which makes this an inverted bracket. High-income families pay LESS than middle and low-income families at Bennett, which is highly unusual. This likely reflects a small, possibly merit-driven aid pool that benefits academically-prepared students whose families filed FAFSA but did not qualify for need-based aid. The data point is worth flagging to the college and to prospective families.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 26.1% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 37.4% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 36.2% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 38.9% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 50.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 410-480 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 410-580 |
| Enrollment | 178 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 72.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,566 |
Admission rate is 50.66%. SAT mid-50% bands sit at 410-480 Math and 410-580 Reading; ACT data is not reported. These are well below national medians, reflecting an open-access mission rather than a selective profile. The 25% completion rate correlates with that academic-prep distribution -- entering students often arrive with significant remediation needs, and Bennett's small endowment limits academic-support staffing.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Bennett's peer set includes Barton College, Belmont Abbey College, Barclay College, Martin University, and Crowley's Ridge College. All are small private-nonprofits, but Belmont Abbey and Barton typically post substantially higher completion rates (50-60%+ range) and stronger earnings outcomes. Barclay and Crowley's Ridge are faith-based programs with their own ROI weaknesses. Martin University, an HBCU-adjacent institution in Indianapolis, runs a similar low-completion, low-earnings profile. Within this peer set Bennett sits at the bottom on completion, earnings, and debt-to-earnings.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bennett College (this school) | 6 | $28,299 | $36,654 |
| Stillman College | 6 | $15,258 | $35,421 |
| Saint Augustine's University | 6 | $24,313 | $35,730 |
| Alabama State University | 5 | $20,435 | $34,502 |
| Mississippi Valley State University | 5 | $9,686 | $31,919 |
| Harris-Stowe State University | 5 | $9,922 | $31,088 |
Who Thrives Here
Bennett serves a specific student: Black women seeking a single-sex HBCU experience with deep cultural and historical resonance. Pell grant rate is 72.82% -- one of the highest in the country, signaling overwhelmingly low-income enrollment of just 178 students. The college's mission value is genuine for students who specifically want this environment. But the financial-outcome data shows that even mission-aligned students face long odds on completion and earnings. Prospective students should price-shop against North Carolina A&T, NC Central, or Spelman, where similar mission with materially better outcomes is available.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Bennett College. With a net cost of $28,299 per year and median graduate earnings of only $36,654 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 25.0% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $28,130 against $36,654 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.77 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.