Fisk University
Nashville, Tennessee · Private Nonprofit · 37.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 14/100 · Poor Value
Fisk University earns a CampusROI score of 14 out of 100 and lands in the Poor Value tier on financial metrics, with the strong caveat that Fisk is a historically significant private HBCU in Nashville and the financial picture has to be read alongside its mission and graduate-school feeder role. The school has produced disproportionate numbers of Black PhDs, physicians, and federal-judiciary alumni for over 150 years, and Fisk's most successful graduates pursue post-baccalaureate study where their earnings story unfolds. The Scorecard data only captures earnings of students with the school as their highest credential. With that context: sticker tuition is $25,858 but average net price after aid is actually higher at $32,020, indicating that fees, room and board, and other charges layered on top push the effective cost above tuition alone. Four-year cost lands at $128,080. Median earnings six years out are $26,000 and reach $45,454 by year ten, with the 1.04 debt-to-earnings ratio against $27,000 in debt earning a sub-score of 5. The 29.9% completion rate is the second-weakest sub-score (10), and the 56.9% repayment rate also lags. The honest read: Fisk is a graduate-school pipeline and a culturally important institution; the immediate-earnings data does not reflect the full long-term value, but it also does not justify heavy borrowing for students without graduate-school plans.
The data raises concerns about Fisk University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score14/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.04 - 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 period25.6 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Fisk University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $25,858/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $25,858/yr |
| Average net price | $32,020/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $128,080 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $45,454 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 25.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 29.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,035 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Fisk University is $25,858/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $32,020/year, or roughly $128,080 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $27,647/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $26,678/year.
The median graduate leaves with $27,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $286 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $45,454 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.04 - 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 | $27,647 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $32,474 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $34,204 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $34,974 |
| $110,001+ | $26,678 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 face an average net price of $27,647 per year, totaling roughly $110,600 across four years. With ten-year median earnings of $45,454, this is genuinely difficult to recover labor-market-wise without a graduate degree. Federal Pell, TN HOPE, and Fisk-specific scholarships can close some of the gap but the residual cost requires significant borrowing.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001 to $75,000 bracket pays $34,204 per year and the $75,001 to $110,000 bracket pays $34,974, the highest cost on the page. Four-year totals are $136,800 to $139,900. The aid curve flattens almost completely across middle brackets, indicating very limited institutional aid to deploy.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 actually pay LESS at $26,678 per year than every middle bracket above $30,000, a sharp inversion worth flagging. Four-year cost is roughly $106,700. The inversion likely reflects merit-based scholarships flowing to academically prepared applicants from higher-income households who would otherwise enroll at competing flagships. Either way, higher-income families pay less than the middle, which is unusual.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Fisk University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $50,768 | - |
| Psychology | $57,147 | C+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $63,733 | 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.
Biology
Biology is the largest reported program at 33 graduates per cohort. Year-one earnings and debt are not reported but year-four earnings reach $50,768. Biology at Fisk is structurally a pre-medical and pre-doctoral pipeline, and many graduates' true outcomes only register after they complete MD, PhD, or DO programs that the Scorecard data does not capture. The on-paper number understates the program's real economic and mission value.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 23 students per cohort with year-four earnings of $57,147. Median debt of $26,500 produces a 0.46 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ ROI grade, the strongest reported program outcome. Like Biology, Psychology at Fisk is a pre-graduate pipeline. Graduates entering counseling-psych or clinical-psych doctorates see far stronger long-run outcomes than the Scorecard captures.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business shows year-one earnings of $38,089 climbing to $63,733 by year four. With $26,120 in debt, the 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a C ROI grade. Graduate counts are not reported. The four-year earnings number is respectable for a small HBCU and suggests Nashville-market business-graduate placement does deliver on the credential.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 49.5% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 56.9% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 43.7% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 41.7% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 37.4% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 570-790 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 570-720 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 19-24 |
| Enrollment | 1,035 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 51.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,116 |
Fisk admits 37.4% of applicants, the most selective school in this batch. Reported SAT mid-ranges run 570 to 790 in math and 570 to 720 in reading; ACT composite is 19 to 24. The math 75th percentile of 790 is unusually high and likely reflects a small cohort of high-scoring applicants targeting Fisk's pre-medical and pre-doctoral pipelines. The selective admit combined with a 29.9% completion rate suggests the admit screen captures academic preparation but the school struggles to retain students through to the bachelor's, with many transferring or pausing.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peer schools include American Baptist College, Baptist Health Sciences University, Huston-Tillotson University, Dillard University, and Ohio Christian University. Huston-Tillotson and Dillard University are the closest meaningful peers, both private HBCUs with similar profiles (small enrollment, mission-driven, modest immediate earnings outcomes). Dillard in particular is a structural match. American Baptist College is also closely comparable. Baptist Health Sciences and Ohio Christian University are different mission profiles and not great fits. Among true HBCU peers, Fisk's selectivity and graduate-school feeder reputation set it apart, even though the Scorecard outcomes look similar.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fisk University (this school) | 14 | $32,020 | $45,454 |
| Oakwood University | 14 | $25,669 | $42,488 |
| Albany State University | 14 | $11,898 | $40,674 |
| Clark Atlanta University | 14 | $37,702 | $42,712 |
| Jackson State University | 14 | $23,836 | $39,060 |
| Wilberforce University | 14 | $5,567 | $38,298 |
Who Thrives Here
Fisk serves about 1,035 students with a 51.8% Pell rate. The fit case is genuine for academically prepared students, particularly Black students, seeking a small, mission-aligned HBCU experience with strong feeder pathways into PhD, MD, and JD programs. The Music Department and Jubilee Singers tradition draw national talent. Career-direct students focused on immediate earnings should weigh the 29.9% completion rate and the 56.9% repayment rate carefully. Heavy borrowing for an undergraduate-only credential is hard to justify on the Scorecard data alone.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Fisk University. With a net cost of $32,020 per year and median graduate earnings of only $45,454 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 25.6 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 $27,000 against $45,454 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.