Delaware State University
Dover, Delaware · Public · 46.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 33/100 · Poor Value
Delaware State University scores 33/100 (Poor Value, red tier), a result that significantly understates the HBCU's mission impact but accurately captures the financial math facing typical students. In-state tuition is $10,670 with a $13,910 net price and four-year total cost of $55,640. Median 6-year earnings are $30,100, rising to $49,307 by year 10. The most punishing sub-scores are debt-to-earnings (10/100, a 0.864 ratio against $26,000 median debt and $49,307 earnings) and repayment rate (6/100, only 45.1% of borrowers reduce principal at three years). Completion rate is 39.1% (20/100), the second-weakest driver. The earnings premium is solid at 0.257 (57/100), reflecting genuine wage benefit for completers. Payback period is 13.7 years. DSU serves 4,398 students with a 48.5% Pell rate as Delaware's HBCU, and its program-level data shows a familiar bimodal pattern: nursing, accounting, and CS produce B+ outcomes; humanities and arts produce D and F grades. The score reflects high debt-to-earnings strain and weak repayment more than weak outcomes for completers in flagship majors.
The data raises concerns about Delaware State University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score33/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate39.1% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
Delaware State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $10,670/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $20,634/yr |
| Average net price | $13,910/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $55,640 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $49,307 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $30,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $276 |
| Estimated payback period | 13.7 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 39.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,398 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Delaware State University is $10,670/year ($20,634/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 $13,910/year, or roughly $55,640 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $11,135/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $17,326/year.
The median graduate leaves with $26,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $276 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $49,307 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.86 - 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 | $11,135 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,452 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,701 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,633 |
| $110,001+ | $17,326 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $11,135 net, or $44,540 over four years. Pell layering keeps cash debt manageable, but the schoolwide 0.864 debt-to-earnings strain shows up at this income level too. The math works for completers in nursing or business; it struggles in humanities. Inverted-bracket note: families above $110,000 pay $17,326 net, slightly less than the $75,001-$110,000 bracket at $17,633 (a mild aid-stacking quirk).
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households earning $48,001-$75,000 pay $15,701 and $75,001-$110,000 pay $17,633 net. Middle-income four-year cost of $62,804 to $70,532 against $49,307 in 10-year earnings is workable in nursing and CS, marginal in business, weak in humanities. UD at in-state tuition produces stronger outcomes for academically prepared students in this income range.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $17,326 net (slightly lower than the middle-upper bracket due to inverted aid stacking), or $69,304 over four years. Full-pay families should weigh the HBCU mission and community aspects of DSU against UD's stronger raw outcomes. Out-of-state DSU at full pay is hard to defend financially.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Delaware State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $94,568 | B |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $49,115 | F |
| Communication and Media Studies | $46,440 | D |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $55,509 | C |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $59,689 | C |
| Psychology | $49,132 | D |
| Political Science and Government | $53,128 | D |
| Biology | $59,296 | C |
| Social Work | $56,937 | D |
| Agriculture, General | $52,676 | C |
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 DSU's flagship economic engine: 66 graduates, $84,049 first-year and $94,568 four-year earnings against $29,861 debt for a 0.355 debt-to-earnings ratio and B grade. Mid-Atlantic healthcare wage market is strong, and DSU's BSN pipeline absorbs graduates well at regional hospitals. The program substantially counterweights the schoolwide weak outcomes.
Accounting
Accounting has 11 graduates with $72,522 four-year earnings against $25,000 debt for a 0.345 debt-to-earnings ratio and B+ grade. Strong outcomes reflect Mid-Atlantic Big Four placement opportunities and a tight-knit DSU business school network. Smaller program but high-quality outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Admin produces 45 graduates with $44,022 first-year and $59,689 four-year earnings against $26,000 debt for a 0.591 debt-to-earnings ratio and C grade. Solid mainstream choice with Mid-Atlantic employer absorption. Reasonable economic case for completers committed to DSU.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology has 57 graduates with $25,704 first-year and $49,115 four-year earnings against $27,125 debt for a 1.055 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade - the only F on the page. The major typically requires graduate work (PT, OT, athletic training) for career-track wages, and starting that pipeline $27,125 in undergrad debt is a financial trap. Students should compare against community college pre-PT pathways.
Psychology
Psychology produces 45 graduates with $27,012 first-year and $49,132 four-year earnings against $26,000 debt for a 0.963 debt-to-earnings ratio and D grade. The familiar pre-grad-school terminal-degree problem. Workable for students continuing to clinical or counseling master's programs; tough as a terminal degree.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 35.5% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 45.1% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 38.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 40.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 46.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 380-500 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 420-520 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-24 |
| Enrollment | 4,398 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 48.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,869 |
DSU admits 46.6% of applicants, more selective than its open-access peers, with SAT mid-ranges of 380-500 math and 420-520 reading, and ACT mid-range 20-24. The test ranges are below national medians but the lower admit rate reflects program capacity (especially nursing) more than across-the-board academic screening. The 39.1% completion rate suggests prepared students complete at higher rates while underprepared admits face attrition risk.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
University of Delaware is the obvious in-state benchmark and produces dramatically stronger outcomes due to selectivity and resources, but it serves a different (whiter, more affluent) student body. Dalton State College, Montana State Billings, Rogers State, and Idaho State are mid-sized regional publics serving similar access missions; all sit in the Poor-to-Below Average ROI range. Across this set, DSU's earnings premium is stronger than several peers, but its debt-to-earnings strain is among the worst.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware State University (this school) | 33 | $13,910 | $49,307 |
| Morgan State University | 34 | $14,985 | $50,698 |
| Coppin State University | 33 | $9,977 | $46,490 |
| 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
Delaware State fits students drawn to the HBCU experience, committed to nursing, business, accounting, agriculture, or education as majors, and able to keep net price near $11,000-$15,000 through Pell stacking. With 4,398 students and 48.5% Pell, the school is meaningfully accessible. DE residents qualifying for SEED/INSPIRE scholarships can substantially reduce cost. Out-of-state students paying $20,634 tuition face weaker economics; the $17,326 net price at high-income tiers shows the institutional aid model works for full-pay families too. The 39.1% completion rate and tough repayment numbers are the chief risks.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Delaware State University. With a net cost of $13,910 per year and median graduate earnings of only $49,307 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 13.7 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include a 39.1% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,000 against $49,307 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
New analyses, updated school profiles, and tools - when there’s something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.