Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Cheyney, Pennsylvania · Public
ROI Score: 11/100 · Poor Value
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, the oldest historically Black university in the country, scores 11 out of 100 on the CampusROI framework, a painful number that requires honest treatment. The school has weathered decades of state-system underinvestment and enrollment decline, and the Scorecard data captures that distress: a 40.6% completion rate, 23.7K in 6-year median earnings, 37.8K at year 10, a 69.5-year payback period that effectively means earnings never recoup cost on standard discount assumptions, and a 42.9% three-year repayment rate that is among the lowest in any state-system school. Cost is modest by public-university standards (in-state tuition $10,904, net price $14,265, 4-year cost $57,060), and median debt of $21,785 is not extreme. The structural issue is earnings: graduates leave with credentials into a labor market where their first-year wages cannot service even moderate debt. Cheyney is undergoing institutional reset under PASSHE oversight; current data reflects the pre-reset state, and prospective students should weigh the institution's recovery trajectory carefully.
The data raises concerns about Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score11/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $10,904/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $18,870/yr |
| Average net price | $14,265/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $57,060 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $37,837 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $23,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,785 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $231 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 40.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 617 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is $10,904/year ($18,870/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 $14,265/year, or roughly $57,060 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $13,585/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $16,493/year.
The median graduate leaves with $21,785 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $231 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $37,837 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.92 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $13,585 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,358 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,773 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,215 |
| $110,001+ | $16,493 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $13,585 net, and the $30,001-$48,000 band actually pays less at $12,358, a small inverted-bracket flag worth noting. Over four years, low-income students face roughly $54,340 of cost, which is meaningful but covered substantially by Pell and federal loans. The cost math is workable; the earnings math is the constraint.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $14,773 and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $20,215, with significant cliff between those two brackets. Middle-income families with one foot above $75K face an aid drop that pushes total 4-year cost above $80K, against which the school's earnings outcomes do not pencil.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $16,493 net, less than the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays. This is an inverted bracket flag: the highest-income families pay less than upper-middle. The pattern likely reflects sample size (very few high-income enrollees) rather than policy, but families in the upper-middle band should not assume the published curve is stable.
Earnings by Major
Top 2 most popular majors at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $44,072 | - |
| Sociology | $47,889 | - |
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, Management, and Operations
Business administration graduates 16 students. Year-one earnings are not reported; 4-year earnings come in at $44,072. The cohort is small enough that debt and ratio data is suppressed, so a defensible ROI grade is not computable. The 4-year figure suggests that business graduates who persist into mid-career roles do see meaningful wage progression, but the small sample makes the population-level signal weak.
Sociology
Sociology graduates 13 students with $28,128 in year-one earnings and $47,889 at year four. Debt and ratio data are suppressed. The earnings curve from $28K to $48K is healthier than the school median, consistent with sociology graduates entering social-services, case-management, and community-work roles where municipal and nonprofit employers pay on stable scales. Worth noting that the cohort is small enough that the 4-year figure may not be a reliable population estimator.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 29.9% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 42.9% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 27.3% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 33.6% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 617 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 66.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,536 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, consistent with an open-access PASSHE posture. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are also not reported. Cheyney functions as an open-enrollment regional public, and the 40.6% completion rate suggests that academic-preparation gaps among entering students combined with limited institutional resources have produced persistent retention challenges. Students who arrive prepared and connected to support services fare best.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Cheyney's Scorecard peers include East Stroudsburg and Indiana University of Pennsylvania, both larger PASSHE institutions with stronger earnings and completion outcomes. Southern University at New Orleans is an HBCU public with similar mission and similar Scorecard challenges; comparing the two is the most apples-to-apples view. Salish Kootenai College and the University of Tennessee Southern are smaller mission-oriented regionals. Among the directly comparable HBCU-public set, Cheyney sits at the bottom on most ROI metrics, a reality that reflects underfunding and demographic enrollment compression more than student quality.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheyney University of Pennsylvania (this school) | 11 | $14,265 | $37,837 |
| Le Moyne-Owen College | 11 | $7,099 | $35,594 |
| Paul Quinn College | 11 | $12,709 | $29,288 |
| Alabama A & M University | 10 | $17,621 | $40,628 |
| University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | 10 | $12,653 | $35,550 |
| Lincoln University | 10 | $19,092 | $39,463 |
Who Thrives Here
Cheyney fits students seeking the HBCU experience at a low in-state public price who are willing to leverage institutional support services aggressively. With 617 students and a 66% Pell rate, this is a very low-income, mission-driven population. The fit works for students with strong academic preparation who want a small-scale HBCU environment and Philadelphia-region proximity. The fit is weaker for students who would benefit from a more resourced larger HBCU (Howard, Hampton, North Carolina A&T) where outcomes data is much stronger.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. With a net cost of $14,265 per year and median graduate earnings of only $37,837 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 40.6% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,785 against $37,837 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.