Central State University
Wilberforce, Ohio · Public · 98.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 4/100 · Poor Value
Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio - a historically Black land-grant institution - earns an overall ROI score of 4, the lowest tier in the dataset. The math is severe across every dimension. Sticker tuition is $8,058 in-state but net price runs $13,096 (substantially above tuition because of fees and indirect costs), putting four-year cost at $52,384. Median debt at graduation is $30,739, the highest debt level among Ohio public universities and against just $23,000 of six-year earnings produces a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.336 - meaning typical graduates owe more than they earn annually. The earnings premium is actually negative (-3.3%), so the average graduate earns slightly less than typical high-school-only peers in the labor market. The Scorecard payback period is 999 years, meaning the cost is structurally never recouped through wage premiums. Completion rate is just 22.8%, and repayment behavior is the worst signal here - only 32.1% of borrowers reduce principal three years out, dropping further to 22.2% by year five. Combined with a 98.6% admit rate, the data describe a school admitting many students unprepared for college work, providing limited persistence support, and producing graduates who carry heavy debt into a labor market that does not reward the credential. The institution's HBCU mission is real and important, but the financial outcomes for typical enrollees are alarming.
The data raises concerns about Central State University
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-earnings1.34 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate22.8% - 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.
Central State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,058/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $10,058/yr |
| Average net price | $13,096/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $52,384 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $33,267 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $23,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $30,739 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $326 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 22.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,620 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Central State University is $8,058/year ($10,058/year out-of-state). But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $13,096/year, or roughly $52,384 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $19,581/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $10,187/year.
The median graduate leaves with $30,739 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $326 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $33,267 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.34 - 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 | $19,581 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $7,161 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $8,773 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $10,343 |
| $110,001+ | $10,187 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $19,581 per year - the highest figure in the income brackets, which is a clear inversion (lower-income families paying more than higher-income ones). This unusual pattern is worth flagging: the lowest-income bracket faces $78,000 of four-year cost, an enormous burden for families whose annual income is below the cost itself. Pell-eligible students should run the numbers very carefully.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($30,001-$110,000) pay $7,161 to $10,343 per year, a much more reasonable range that yields four-year cost of $29,000 to $41,000. The $30,001-$48,000 bracket actually pays the least at $7,161 - a strong outcome for that specific income range. The aid math here works much better than at the bottom, but median earnings of $23,000 still make the debt service difficult.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households over $110,000 pay $10,187 - less than the $75,001-$110,000 bracket, another aid inversion. Four-year cost approaches $41,000 for high-income families. The ROI math at any cost level here is constrained by the negative earnings premium and very high debt-to-earnings ratio.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Central State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $44,662 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $46,914 | D |
| Social Work | $47,853 | C |
| Biology | $28,264 | F |
| Psychology | $39,628 | F |
| Journalism | $36,311 | 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.
Business Administration and Management
Business administration is the largest program by far at 358 graduates yearly. Median first-year earnings of $29,472 climbing to $44,662 by year four against $31,569 of debt produce a 1.071 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F grade. The volume here is the most concerning data point on the entire profile - the largest single major produces an outcome where typical graduates owe more than their first-year salary. Students entering this track need a clear differentiation strategy.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal justice graduates 288 students yearly with $32,631 first-year and $46,914 four-year earnings on $31,000 of debt - a 0.95 ratio and D grade. Career outcomes feed into Ohio law enforcement, corrections officer roles, and probation services. The earnings figures are reasonable for the field, but the debt load is high relative to typical entry-level wages, making this a high-risk pipeline at full cost.
Social Work
Social work is the highest-grade program at C, with 27 graduates yearly, $47,853 four-year earnings, and a 0.648 debt-to-earnings ratio on $31,000 of debt. The grade is held back primarily by the debt level - the underlying earnings figure is reasonable for social work in Ohio. Career paths in child welfare, hospital social work, and community services are stable but cap out around $50,000-$60,000 without an MSW.
Psychology
Psychology produces 18 graduates yearly with $18,266 first-year earnings on $31,485 of debt - a stunning 1.724 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F grade. This is one of the worst single-program outcomes in the entire dataset. Four-year earnings recover to $39,628 (suggesting graduate degrees lift wages), but the bachelor's-only outcome is structurally disastrous. Students should not enter this program without a fully funded graduate-school plan.
Biology
Biology has 19 graduates per year with $28,264 first-year earnings on $30,731 of debt - a 1.087 ratio and F grade. As at most schools, biology bachelor's-only outcomes assume graduate study; without that, the debt service is unmanageable. Students should treat this strictly as a pre-health pipeline and have a credible medical, dental, or PA school plan.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 19.7% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 32.1% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 22.2% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 26.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 98.6% |
| Enrollment | 2,620 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 52.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,698 |
Central State admits 98.6% of applicants - effectively open access. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported, consistent with widespread test-optional and test-not-required policies. The combination of universal admission with the 22.8% completion rate flags a structural mismatch between student preparation and degree-completion supports. Prospective students should evaluate this carefully and consider whether community-college transfer pathways might serve them better at lower risk.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Central State's natural peers are other HBCUs. Savannah State University in Georgia, Alabama State University, and Langston University in Oklahoma are all HBCUs with somewhat varying ROI profiles - Alabama State is the strongest of that subset on completion. University of Akron Main Campus is a much larger Ohio public with materially better outcomes and is not a meaningful structural peer. Akron Wayne College is a small commuter campus. Among the genuine HBCU peers, Central State sits at or near the bottom on both completion and post-graduation earnings, though peer HBCUs share many of the same labor-market headwinds.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central State University (this school) | 4 | $13,096 | $33,267 |
| Alabama State University | 5 | $20,435 | $34,502 |
| Livingstone College | 4 | $13,479 | $32,600 |
| Shaw University | 4 | $16,512 | $34,409 |
| Benedict College | 4 | $18,250 | $31,902 |
| Jarvis Christian University | 4 | $9,825 | $32,992 |
Who Thrives Here
Central State serves predominantly Black students from Ohio and the surrounding Midwest, with a Pell rate of 52.7% indicating a heavily low-income student body. Enrollment is 2,620. The school's HBCU mission and community matter to many enrollees, and that value should not be dismissed. But the outcome data demands honesty: students should consider whether they have the academic preparation to complete a four-year degree at a school with 22.8% completion, and whether the family financial situation can absorb the average $30,739 of debt that comes with a degree. Strong-fit students are those committed to the criminal justice or social work pipelines and who arrive with solid academic preparation.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Central State University. With a net cost of $13,096 per year and median graduate earnings of only $33,267 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 22.8% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $30,739 against $33,267 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.92 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.