Clark Atlanta University
Atlanta, Georgia · Private Nonprofit · 64.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 14/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Clark Atlanta University earns an overall ROI score of 14 (Below Benchmark). The historic HBCU in Atlanta charges $28,310 in tuition but the average net price is $37,702 - meaning costs beyond tuition (housing, fees, books) significantly exceed institutional aid. Four-year cost runs $150,808. Earnings are $28,400 six years out and $42,712 at 10 years, with $27,000 median debt and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.951. The calculated payback period is 37.7 years. Repayment is concerning at 45.1% three-year and only 41.9% seven-year, indicating sustained difficulty across the cohort. Completion is 49%. The numbers are stark, but the institutional value Clark Atlanta provides - HBCU community, networking, and historical mission - is real and not captured in earnings-only metrics. Prospective students must weigh that mission value against substantial debt loads, especially given the high Pell rate (70.5%) indicating a working-class student body that is most vulnerable to long repayment.
How Clark Atlanta University 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.
- ROI Score14/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period37.7 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Clark Atlanta University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $28,310/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $28,310/yr |
| Average net price | $37,702/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $150,808 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,712 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $28,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 37.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 49.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,603 |
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: $28,310/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 $37,702/year, or roughly $150,808 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 $37,356/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $38,680/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($28,400) and comes to 0.95, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
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 | $37,356 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $39,270 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $39,009 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $39,514 |
| $110,001+ | $38,680 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30K pay $37,356 net per year - a striking number that suggests Pell and institutional aid do not meaningfully bridge the gap for the lowest income families.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48K-$110K) pay $39,009-$39,514 net per year - effectively the same as low-income families. The aid structure is nearly flat across income, meaning institutional discount is not need-progressive in the way most private nonprofits operate.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families over $110K pay $38,680 - actually slightly less than the 75-110K bracket. The flat pricing pattern means high-income families pay roughly sticker. At $155K four-year, mission fit is the only value lever; this is not a pricing discount choice.
Earnings by Major
Top 9 most popular majors at Clark Atlanta University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $34,335 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $53,911 | D |
| Psychology | $45,368 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $47,012 | D |
| Design and Applied Arts | $24,420 | F |
| Biology | $45,413 | F |
| International Relations | $28,554 | D |
| Social Work | $54,657 | F |
| Curriculum and Instruction | $44,498 | 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, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is the largest reported program at 81 graduates, pulling a D grade. First-year earnings of $30,518 climb to $53,911 at four years - a strong trajectory - but $28,604 median debt against $30,518 first-year wages produces a 0.937 debt-to-earnings ratio. The four-year jump is encouraging and suggests Atlanta-market business graduates compound well once established.
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
Radio/TV/Digital Communication is the second-largest program at 100 graduates and earns an F. First-year earnings of $21,413 against $28,500 median debt produces a 1.331 ratio - students owe more than a year of wages. Four-year earnings of $34,335 do not recover the position. Atlanta has a thriving creative industry but entry-level wages are subsistence-level and Clark Atlanta's pricing does not match this earnings reality.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 57 students per cycle and earns an F. First-year earnings of $22,328 against $27,000 debt produces a 1.209 ratio. Four-year earnings climb to $45,368 but early-career debt is high relative to earnings. Without a clear graduate-school path, this is one of the financially worst undergraduate routes at the institution.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice earns a D with 39 graduates. First-year earnings of $27,715 climb to $47,012 at four years. Debt-to-earnings of 0.974 is at the edge - students owe nearly as much as they earn in year one. The discipline has stable employment but Clark Atlanta's pricing makes the financial case weak.
Design and Applied Arts
Design and Applied Arts pulls an F with 33 graduates. First-year earnings of $20,974 and four-year earnings of only $24,420 - essentially no career growth - against $27,427 debt produces a 1.308 ratio. Among the worst financial paths at the school.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 36.2% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 45.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 39.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 41.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Clark Atlanta University’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 | 64.2% |
| Enrollment | 3,603 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 70.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,446 |
Clark Atlanta admits 64.2% of applicants. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported. The lack of test-score reporting reflects test-optional policy and means academic preparation varies widely across the entering class.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clark Atlanta University (this school) | 14 | $37,702 | $42,712 |
| Oakwood University | 14 | $25,669 | $42,488 |
| Albany State University | 14 | $11,898 | $40,674 |
| Jackson State University | 14 | $23,836 | $39,060 |
| Wilberforce University | 14 | $5,567 | $38,298 |
| Fisk University | 14 | $32,020 | $45,454 |
Who Thrives Here
Clark Atlanta fits students seeking a historically Black college experience, Atlanta metro access, and the CAU alumni network. Pell rate is 70.5% and enrollment is 3,603 - a mid-size HBCU. The fit case is mission-driven rather than financial-ROI-driven. Students should pursue maximum external scholarship support before enrolling, as the standard aid package leaves a heavy borrowing burden against modest early-career wages.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Clark Atlanta University scores 14/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $37,702 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $42,712 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 37.7 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 49.0% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.95 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 45.1% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $28,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.95. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Clark Atlanta University: Common Questions
Is Clark Atlanta University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Clark Atlanta University scores 14/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $37,702 a year after aid against $42,712 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 37.7 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Clark Atlanta University 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 $37,702 a year, or roughly $150,808 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 Clark Atlanta University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $42,712 ten years after enrolling, roughly $912 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 Clark Atlanta University?
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 37.7 years for Clark Atlanta University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Clark Atlanta University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $28,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.95. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Clark Atlanta University?
The six-year graduation rate is 49.0%. 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.