Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
Los Angeles, California · Private Nonprofit · 38.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 67/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (Los Angeles, CA) scores 67 (Fair Value) overall, but that headline number is pulled upward by strong debt metrics and partly masked by two serious problems: a 29.6% completion rate and a 60% three-year repayment rate. Average 6-year earnings of $73,200 are notably high for a school this size (282 students), likely reflecting that completers are concentrated in health sciences fields with strong wages. The net price of $35,558 exceeds the stated tuition of $23,000 - an unusual inversion, and low-income families in particular ($35,636) pay more than the sticker tuition after aid. The College Scorecard data shows no individual program-level outcomes due to small cohort sizes.
How Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science 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.
- 6-year graduation rate29.6% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $23,000/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $23,000/yr |
| Average net price | $35,558/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $142,232 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $83,438 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $73,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $18,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $199 |
| Estimated payback period | 5.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 29.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 282 |
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: $23,000/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 $35,558/year, or roughly $142,232 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 $35,636/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $37,834/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $18,750, which works out to about $199 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($73,200) and comes to 0.26, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $35,636 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $35,686 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | N/A |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $33,075 |
| $110,001+ | $37,834 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Low-income families (under $30,000) pay $35,636 net price per year at CDU - higher than the sticker tuition of $23,000, which suggests substantial unmet need rather than meaningful grant aid. At $35,636 per year, the four-year cost exceeds $142,000. Against average earnings of $73,200 for completers, debt-to-earnings is relatively low (0.256) for those who graduate, but the 29.6% completion rate means the majority of low-income enrollees may not reach that outcome.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-75,000 bracket has no net price data available in the Scorecard. Middle-income families should use CDU's price calculator directly and understand that net price data for small schools can be volatile year to year.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 pay $37,834 per year, the highest net price band reported. For health sciences students who complete the degree, the 5.8-year payback period and $73,200 average earnings create a workable long-term financial picture. The completion rate risk applies at all income levels.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 51.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 60.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 61.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science’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 | 38.7% |
| Enrollment | 282 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 53.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,291 |
At 38.7%, CDU's admission rate is meaningfully selective relative to open-access institutions, though no SAT or ACT data is available in the Scorecard. Prospective students should understand that CDU's focus is health professions, and students not committed to that field may find limited program options.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
CDU's ROI score of 67 (Fair Value) reflects the tension between high earnings for completers and a low completion rate.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science (this school) | 67 | $35,558 | $83,438 |
| Azusa Pacific University | 71 | $22,212 | $66,677 |
| Yeshiva Toras Chaim | 69 | $5,356 | $62,526 |
| Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences | 66 | $24,204 | $63,582 |
| College of Saint Mary | 59 | $16,590 | $54,338 |
| Art Center College of Design | 56 | $48,661 | $71,958 |
Who Thrives Here
CDU admits 38.7% of applicants from a small enrollment base, making it moderately selective in absolute terms but specialized in mission: the school focuses on health sciences education serving underrepresented and low-income communities in South Los Angeles. With 53.6% Pell grant recipients, CDU serves a predominantly low-income student body. The completion rate is 29.6%, and fewer than one in three students who enroll graduate. Prospective students should seek direct information from CDU on why this rate is so low and what support systems exist before enrolling.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $35,558 a year after aid ($142,232 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $83,438 a decade out, the cost takes about 5.8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: its 29.6% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 60.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
On debt, you can breathe a little easier here. Median debt of $18,750 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $73,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.26: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science: Common Questions
Is Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 67/100 on our ROI scale. At $35,558 a year after aid ($142,232 over four years) against $83,438 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 5.8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science 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 $35,558 a year, or roughly $142,232 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 Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $83,438 ten years after enrolling, roughly $41,638 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 5.8 years for Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $18,750, against average earnings of $73,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.26. In our view that is very manageable: well under 1.0, the point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings.
What is the graduation rate at Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science?
The six-year graduation rate is 29.6%. 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.