Clinton College
Rock Hill, South Carolina · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 8/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Clinton College, a tiny historically Black private institution in Rock Hill, SC, posts an ROI score of 8 - effectively the floor of the scoring system and a clear warning. The numbers are extreme on every dimension. Median 10-year earnings of $30,180 are below a typical high-school baseline - the earnings premium is actually negative (-0.105), meaning attending Clinton College is associated with LOWER earnings than not attending college at all on the available data. The modeled payback period is 999 years - a code value meaning earnings never recoup the cost. Debt-to-earnings sits at 1.57 against median debt of $28,987 - median debt exceeds 1.5 years of typical earnings. Completion is 14.1%, one of the lowest in the dataset, meaning roughly 1 in 7 starters finishes. The 5-year repayment rate of 17.5% is bottom-decile - the vast majority of borrowers are not actively servicing loans. Net price of $11,458 is moderate against a $11,136 sticker (nearly identical, indicating thin institutional aid), and Pell rate of 76.8% reflects a very high-need student body. Enrollment is just 126 students. Clinton College has historic and cultural significance as one of the few remaining HBCUs of its type, but on financial-return math the case for attending is essentially absent. Prospective students should weigh this carefully and consider transferring credits to a stronger HBCU like Benedict College or South Carolina State.
The data raises concerns about Clinton College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score8/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.57 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate14.1% - 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.
Clinton College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,136/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $11,136/yr |
| Average net price | $11,458/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $45,832 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $30,180 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $18,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $28,987 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $307 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 14.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 126 |
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: $11,136/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $11,458/year, or roughly $45,832 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 $11,105/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $28,987 in federal loans, which works out to about $307 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $30,180 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 1.57, which is high - the rule of thumb is that total debt should not top your first-year salary, and this is over that line.
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 | $11,105 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,999 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $6,854 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $12,222 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $11,105 net annually - minimal discounting versus the $11,458 average. Pell carries essentially the full load. Four-year cost runs about $44,000. Even at this modest absolute price point, with median 10-year earnings of $30,180 the math doesn't work - a Pell-eligible student here is essentially borrowing to break even or worse. Community college transfer is almost certainly the better pathway.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Note inverted brackets: families earning $30,001-$48,000 pay $11,999, while the $48,001-$75,000 group pays just $6,854 - LESS than half of what the lowest-income tier pays. This reflects unusual aid stacking patterns and very small reporting cohorts. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $12,222. Middle-income four-year totals run $27,000-$49,000. Even at the lowest middle-income net price, the earnings outcomes do not justify the borrowing.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net price for families above $110,000 is not reported - the cohort is too small. Given the school's dynamics, high-income families would be paying close to sticker, and the math case for attending Clinton at full price would be impossible to defend. Any prospective student in this bracket should look exclusively at South Carolina State, Benedict, or Winthrop.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 17.5% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 17.3% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Clinton College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
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
| Enrollment | 126 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 76.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,295 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, nor are SAT or ACT score ranges. The combination of missing admissions data with a 14.1% completion rate suggests the school operates as broadly accessible and is not screening academic preparation - a structural pattern that helps explain the dismal completion outcomes. Prospective students cannot rely on selectivity signals; honest self-assessment of academic readiness is essential.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Clinton's named peers are Allen University, Anderson University (SC), Mid-Atlantic Christian University, Trinity College of Florida, and Barclay College. The peer set is small Christian or HBCU-affiliated privates. Allen University (also a SC HBCU) is the closest analog and posts comparable challenges. Anderson University SC is much larger and stronger on outcomes. The faith-affiliated peers tend to outperform Clinton on completion. Within the SC HBCU landscape, Benedict College and South Carolina State both post substantially better outcomes and are the realistic alternatives for prospective Clinton students.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton College (this school) | 8 | $11,458 | $30,180 |
| Anderson University | 24 | $23,544 | $42,101 |
| Barclay College | 10 | $29,290 | $36,355 |
| Mid-Atlantic Christian University | 10 | $18,328 | $38,342 |
| Trinity College of Florida | 6 | $20,297 | $32,465 |
| Allen University | 3 | $10,972 | $30,497 |
Who Thrives Here
Clinton College fits a very narrow profile: a Rock Hill or Catawba region student deeply committed to attending an AME Zion-affiliated HBCU, often Pell-eligible (76.8% Pell), often a place-bound student with significant family or work obligations, who is willing to accept the financial-return tradeoffs. With only 126 enrolled students, classes are tiny and the campus experience is intimate. Strong fits are clear-eyed students who view Clinton as a stepping stone - a place to find footing before transferring to a larger institution where outcomes are more favorable.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Clinton College are a real concern. With a net cost of $11,458 per year and the typical graduate earning only $30,180 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 14.1% graduation rate, high debt relative to what graduates earn, a long payback period.
Be careful with the debt here. A median $28,987 owed against $30,180 in earnings is heavy, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.96 is past the level advisors flag. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
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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.