Coppin State University
Baltimore, Maryland · Public · 45.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 33/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Coppin State University, a historically Black public university in Baltimore, scores 33 out of 100 on CampusROI and sits in the Below Benchmark tier. The financial profile has a clear strength and a clear weakness. In-state tuition is just $7,100 and net price is $9,977, with total four-year cost of about $39,908. Earnings climb meaningfully from $31,700 at six years to $46,490 at ten years, a 28.8% earnings premium that drives a respectable earnings sub-score. The weaknesses are low completion and repayment: the six-year graduation rate is just 26.2%, the lowest sub-score on the profile (8 out of 100), and only 46% of borrowers are making progress at three years, dropping to 35% by year seven. Median debt of $25,000 against early-career earnings yields a 0.789 debt-to-earnings ratio and a 15.7-year payback. The takeaway: students who complete at Coppin do reasonably well in the Baltimore labor market, but the majority do not finish, and that completion gap is the central risk for any prospective borrower.
How Coppin State 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 Score33/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate26.2% - 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.
- Payback period15.7 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Coppin State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,100/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $14,024/yr |
| Average net price | $9,977/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $39,908 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,490 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 15.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 26.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,844 |
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: $7,100/year ($14,024/year out-of-state), 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 $9,977/year, or roughly $39,908 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 $7,714/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $15,578/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($31,700) and comes to 0.79, 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 | $7,714 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,135 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,636 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,141 |
| $110,001+ | $15,578 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 face a net price of $7,714 per year, which combined with Pell and MD state grants can drop the effective price substantially. Four years totals about $30,900 against $46,490 in ten-year median earnings, a workable ratio for students who complete, especially in nursing or teaching. Pell-eligible students who do not finish are the cohort facing the worst outcomes.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets escalate sharply: $9,135 ($30,001-$48,000), $12,636 ($48,001-$75,000), and $17,141 ($75,001-$110,000). Note the inversion at the top: the $110,000-plus bracket pays $15,578, less than the $75,001-$110,000 bracket.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $15,578 a year, or roughly $62,300 over four years. This is still very affordable in absolute terms.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Coppin State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $102,720 | C+ |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $60,410 | C |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | $64,090 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $58,110 | D |
| Psychology | $49,542 | D |
| Teacher Education | $55,944 | C |
| Social Work | $56,599 | D |
| Biology | $21,151 | F |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $56,774 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $56,399 | - |
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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is the standout program with 55 graduates per year earning $76,661 in the first year and a remarkable $102,720 by year four. Median debt is $36,369, producing a 0.474 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ ROI grade. This is the highest-leverage degree on campus and the most defensible reason to enroll.
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
Health/Medical Prep graduates 31 students with $43,930 in first-year earnings rising to $64,090 by year four against $31,000 in median debt. The 0.706 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D ROI grade. The strong four-year earnings suggest many graduates move into clinical roles or continue to graduate health programs, which is the path that justifies the debt.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education produces 19 graduates with $53,215 in first-year earnings and $55,944 by year four against $33,865 in median debt. The 0.636 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a C ROI grade. Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility further improves long-run outcomes.
Social Work
Social Work graduates 18 students with $37,612 in first-year earnings rising to $56,599 by year four against $28,750 in median debt. The 0.764 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D ROI grade. Baltimore's social services and nonprofit sector absorbs these graduates but at structurally modest pay; PSLF eligibility is critical to making the long-run math work.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 27 students with $31,419 in first-year earnings rising to $58,110 by year four against $29,000 in median debt. The 0.923 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D ROI grade. The credential aligns with Baltimore Police Department, Maryland State Police, and federal pathways through the DC field offices, where the long-run earnings trajectory is materially better than the first-year figure suggests.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 38.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 46.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 29.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 34.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Coppin State 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 | 45.8% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 420-510 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 460-510 |
| Enrollment | 1,844 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 53.9% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,091 |
Coppin State admits 45.8% of applicants, which is moderately selective, but reports very low SAT mid-ranges of 420-510 Math and 460-510 Reading. ACT scores are not reported. The 45.8% admit rate paired with a 26.2% completion rate suggests that a meaningful share of admitted students struggle to persist.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Coppin's nursing program elevates the campus average for students who reach it.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coppin State University (this school) | 33 | $9,977 | $46,490 |
| Morgan State University | 34 | $14,985 | $50,698 |
| Delaware State University | 33 | $13,910 | $49,307 |
| North Carolina A & T State University | 32 | $10,846 | $44,440 |
| American Baptist College | 32 | $9,216 | $41,216 |
| Morehouse College | 29 | $39,013 | $52,889 |
Who Thrives Here
Coppin enrolls 1,844 students with a Pell rate of 53.9%, serving a predominantly Baltimore-area African American population. The right fit is a Baltimore-area student committed to nursing, education, or social work who can leverage the university's HBCU mission and Baltimore healthcare partnerships and has a clear plan to persist. Given the 26.2% completion rate, students unsure about academic preparation should consider Baltimore City Community College first to build a foundation before transferring in. The very low tuition is the school's standout asset; the persistence environment is its central challenge.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Coppin State University scores 33/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $9,977 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $46,490 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 15.7 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: its 26.2% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 46.1% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $31,700 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79. 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.
Coppin State University: Common Questions
Is Coppin State University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Coppin State University scores 33/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $9,977 a year after aid against $46,490 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 15.7 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Coppin State 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 $9,977 a year, or roughly $39,908 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 Coppin State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $46,490 ten years after enrolling, roughly $4,690 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 Coppin State 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 15.7 years for Coppin State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Coppin State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $31,700 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79. 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 Coppin State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 26.2%. 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.