Chowan University
Murfreesboro, North Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 68.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 10/100 · Poor Value
Chowan University posts a 10 ROI score, deep in Poor Value territory. The math is unforgiving: published tuition is $27,910 with a net price of $14,086 after aid, putting the four-year total at $56,344. Median federal debt is $29,491 and ten-year median earnings of $38,412 produce a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.121, meaning typical graduates owe more than they earn in a year. The payback period stretches 57.5 years. Earnings premium over high-school grads is just 6.1 percent. Completion rate is poor at 30 percent and three-year repayment is 55.1 percent, drifting to 39 percent at five years - meaning many borrowers fall further behind over time, not closer to payoff. The Pell rate is 56.6 percent, signaling a heavily low-income student body, and enrollment is small at 603. Chowan's mission as an HBCU-adjacent small private serving eastern North Carolina is real, but the financial structure is broken: low-income students are taking on debt that exceeds what their degrees produce in early-career wages. This is a high-risk enrollment for nearly any student who needs to borrow.
The data raises concerns about Chowan University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score10/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.12 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate29.9% - 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.
Chowan University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $27,910/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $27,910/yr |
| Average net price | $14,086/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $56,344 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $38,412 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $29,491 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $313 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 29.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 603 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Chowan University is $27,910/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $14,086/year, or roughly $56,344 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $13,726/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,713/year.
The median graduate leaves with $29,491 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $313 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $38,412 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.12 - 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 | $13,726 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,950 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,549 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $14,565 |
| $110,001+ | $19,713 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $13,726 per year net, about $54,900 over four years. Pell ($7,395 max) and state grants cover roughly half; the rest typically comes from federal Direct loans. Note the inverted bracket: the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays LESS ($10,950) than the under-$30K group, suggesting institutional aid formulas that may benefit slightly-higher-income families more. Either way, the earnings outcome ($38,412 at year ten) makes this debt hard to service.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $14,549, very close to the under-$30K figure - middle-income families get essentially no relief here despite higher expected family contribution capacity. This is a common pattern at tuition-discount-heavy small privates: institutional aid floors the price for everyone but does not scale meaningfully with need.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $19,713 - the closest to sticker but still below published tuition. Roughly $79,000 over four years. Affluent families subsidizing this institution via differential pricing should examine the 30 percent completion rate and $38K median earnings before committing.
Earnings by Major
Top 9 most popular majors at Chowan University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $33,143 | F |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $44,711 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $44,858 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $54,889 | D |
| Biology | $29,508 | D |
| Social Sciences, General | $44,793 | D |
| Graphic Communications | $25,301 | - |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $36,682 | - |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $39,224 | 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.
Psychology
Psychology produces 29 graduates, the largest cohort on campus. The financial picture is poor: one-year earnings of $30,076 essentially stagnate at $33,143 by year four, against $31,000 median debt, yielding a 1.031 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade. Psychology BAs nationally need graduate degrees to reach professional pay; at Chowan that ladder is harder given local labor markets in eastern NC. Students serious about psychology careers should compare against ECU or UNC system schools where graduate-school admission rates are higher.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology graduates 24 students with one-year earnings of $25,983 and four-year of $44,711, against $31,581 median debt - a 1.215 ratio and F grade. The kinesiology pathway typically requires DPT, OT, or PA graduate programs to reach professional wages; without that follow-on, graduates work as fitness trainers or athletic-program assistants at modest pay. This is one of the weakest financial bets on campus.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice produces 12 graduates with one-year earnings of $29,109 climbing to $44,858 by year four. Median debt at $39,000 is the highest of any major on campus, producing a 1.34 ratio and F grade. CJ degrees are notoriously oversupplied relative to law-enforcement and corrections hiring; most North Carolina sheriff and police departments hire without requiring a four-year degree. Students could reach the same outcomes at NC community colleges for a tenth the cost.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 51.2% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 55.1% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 38.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 45.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 68.8% |
| Enrollment | 603 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 56.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,034 |
Chowan admits 68.8 percent of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported, suggesting test-optional admissions and a small enough cohort that publishing scores is suppressed. With a 30 percent completion rate, the binding issue is not selectivity but academic preparation and financial stability of incoming students. The correlation between Pell rate and completion is strong here - students juggling financial precarity often cannot finish.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Chowan's peer set is well-matched to mission: Barton College and Belmont Abbey are North Carolina small privates serving similar enrollment scales; Philander Smith, Texas College, and Jarvis Christian are HBCUs with comparable rural and access missions. ROI scores across this group are weak: most land in the teens or twenties. Belmont Abbey performs somewhat better thanks to a stronger Catholic-tradition completion mix; Texas and Jarvis Christian face similar debt-to-earnings ceilings as Chowan. None of these peers represent strong value plays.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chowan University (this school) | 10 | $14,086 | $38,412 |
| Barton College | 24 | $23,626 | $47,913 |
| Belmont Abbey College | 24 | $24,639 | $47,937 |
| Philander Smith University | 10 | $14,224 | $38,427 |
| Jarvis Christian University | 4 | $9,825 | $32,992 |
| Texas College | 4 | $10,958 | $33,752 |
Who Thrives Here
Chowan fits students with strong community or athletic ties to eastern North Carolina who can attend with minimal borrowing - typically Pell-eligible students whose net price drops well below the $14,086 average via additional grants. The 56.6 percent Pell rate and 603 enrollment confirm a small, financially constrained community. Outcomes look strongest in the small business program (graduates earning $55K by year four), though debt loads still strain. Students considering Chowan should compare hard against East Carolina University and Elizabeth City State, both of which offer substantially better ROI in the same region.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Chowan University. With a net cost of $14,086 per year and median graduate earnings of only $38,412 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 29.9% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $29,491 against $38,412 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.