Fort Valley State University
Fort Valley, Georgia · Public · 65.9% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 9/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Fort Valley State University scores 9 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. Fort Valley is a historically Black public university in Fort Valley, GA with 2,684 enrolled students. Its ROI score of 9 reflects a 108.9-year payback period, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.216, a 41.1% completion rate, and a repayment rate of just 31.7% - fewer than 1 in 3 borrowers making progress on their debt at 7 years. In-state tuition is $5,526 and net price is $10,338, which is genuinely low. The problem is not the cost; the problem is the outcome. Of the 9 programs with graded outcomes, every single one earns an F - no exceptions. Business Administration (44 grads, $31,173 year-one, debt-to-earnings 1.025), Criminal Justice (26 grads, $29,445 year-one, debt-to-earnings 1.176), Psychology (32 grads, $27,677 year-one, debt-to-earnings 1.359), Social Work (20 grads, $26,299 year-one, debt-to-earnings 1.44), and Liberal Arts (18 grads, $23,157 year-one, debt-to-earnings 1.714) all have debt-to-earnings ratios above 1.0. Computer and Information Sciences (15 grads, $49,827 year-one, debt-to-earnings 0.823) is the best-performing program and earns only a D.
How Fort Valley 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 Score9/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.22 - Median debt is larger than one year of average earnings six years after entry (a ratio above 1.0).
- Payback period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped within a working career.
Fort Valley State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $5,526/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $16,932/yr |
| Average net price | $10,338/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $41,352 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $36,666 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $25,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $31,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $329 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 41.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,684 |
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: $5,526/year ($16,932/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 $10,338/year, or roughly $41,352 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 $9,017/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $16,914/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $31,000, which works out to about $329 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($25,500) and comes to 1.22, 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least 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 | $9,017 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,021 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,502 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $15,571 |
| $110,001+ | $16,914 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 income bracket pays $9,017 per year at Fort Valley State. The 30001-48000 bracket pays nearly the same at $9,021. For the 73.3% of enrolled students who receive Pell grants, the total cost of attendance is manageable in absolute terms. The problem is not what students pay; it is what they earn afterward. At $25,500 average 6-year earnings, the return on even $9,000 per year in education spending is near zero. Low-income students at FVSU pay a low net price, with a 41.1% completion rate and $25,500 in average earnings six years after entry.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $11,502 at Fort Valley State, rising to $15,571 for the 75001-110000 bracket. These moderate price increases still reflect a low-cost institution. Middle-income families should understand, however, that the ROI score of 9 is not primarily a cost problem - it is an outcomes problem. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.216 and the 108.9-year payback period persist regardless of which income bracket the family occupies, because they are driven by low graduate earnings, not high net price.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $16,914 per year at Fort Valley State - a four-year total near $67,000. For high-income families, this is a relatively low absolute cost for a four-year degree. But the question is not whether the cost is low in absolute terms; it is whether the outcomes justify the expenditure. At $25,500 average earnings 6 years out, and with programs uniformly earning D or F grades on ROI, Fort Valley State does not represent a financially sound investment even at its low price point, unless the student is targeting CS specifically and can manage the $41,000 median debt in that program.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Fort Valley State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $56,411 | F |
| Psychology | $45,292 | F |
| Biology | $26,379 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $45,033 | F |
| Social Work | $37,564 | F |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $23,157 | F |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $44,881 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $26,285 | F |
| Family and Consumer Sciences | $38,345 | F |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | $34,263 | - |
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.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences is FVSU's only program approaching acceptable outcomes: 15 graduates, $49,827 year-one, debt-to-earnings 0.823 (grade D) on $41,000 median debt. The D grade reflects that $41,000 in median debt against $49,827 year-one earnings is a manageable but still unfavorable ratio. The $41,000 median debt figure is notable. Year-one earnings of $49,827 are competitive for CS in the region. CS is the only program at FVSU where a graduate can plausibly manage their debt burden.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration earns an F grade: 44 graduates - the largest program - at $31,173 year-one and $56,411 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.025 on $31,937 median debt. The year-four trajectory to $56,411 shows meaningful career growth, but the first several years post-graduation involve debt payments against income that does not service them easily. Business at FVSU reflects the broader structural problem: the degree credentials in a market where the same credential from better-resourced institutions commands higher wages.
Psychology
Psychology earns an F grade: 32 graduates, $27,677 year-one, $45,292 at year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.359 on $37,600 median debt. The 10-year trajectory to $45,292 remains below the debt amount until at least year seven. Psychology at FVSU, absent a plan for graduate school in a licensed clinical field, produces a debt-to-earnings ratio above 1.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 21.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 31.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 26.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 32.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Fort Valley 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 | 65.9% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 450-510 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 480-560 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 19-24 |
| Enrollment | 2,684 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 73.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,426 |
Fort Valley State admits 65.9% of applicants. SAT mid-range of 450-510 Math and 480-560 Reading reflects an open-access institutional profile. ACT 19-24 composite. The institution's open-access mission means that academic preparation varies widely among enrolled students. Prospective students should ask specifically about remediation support, tutoring services, and retention programs - the 41.1% completion rate indicates that structural barriers to degree completion exist, and the quality of support infrastructure matters enormously for students who enter needing academic development. Computer Science (15 grads) has the best outcomes in the institution and likely has the most academically prepared students.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
For prospective students evaluating Fort Valley State on financial grounds, the data - completion rate 41.1%, earnings premium 4.0%, repayment rate 31.7% - presents a deeply unfavorable picture.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Valley State University (this school) | 9 | $10,338 | $36,666 |
| Lincoln University | 10 | $19,092 | $39,463 |
| Bethune-Cookman University | 9 | $12,030 | $38,518 |
| Kentucky State University | 9 | $8,040 | $36,382 |
| South Carolina State University | 9 | $18,097 | $38,262 |
| Virginia Union University | 9 | $13,235 | $38,275 |
Who Thrives Here
Fort Valley State admits 65.9% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 450-510 Math and 480-560 Reading; ACT composite 19-24. With a 73.3% Pell grant rate, FVSU serves a predominantly Pell-eligible, low-income student population. As an HBCU, FVSU carries cultural and historical significance for Black students in Georgia, and the campus experience is shaped by that identity. The 41.1% completion rate is the institution's most urgent structural problem. More than half of students who enroll do not graduate, and those who borrow without completing face the worst debt outcomes. A prospective student choosing FVSU on financial grounds alone should understand that the data does not support the investment. Students choosing FVSU for community, identity, and HBCU experience should enter with clear plans for academic support and completion.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Fort Valley State University scores 9/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $10,338 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $36,666 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 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 41.1% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.22 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 31.7% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $31,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $25,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.22. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Fort Valley State University: Common Questions
Is Fort Valley State University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Fort Valley State University scores 9/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $10,338 a year after aid against $36,666 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Fort Valley 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 $10,338 a year, or roughly $41,352 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 Fort Valley State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $36,666 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Fort Valley 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 more than 50 years for Fort Valley State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Fort Valley State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $31,000, against average earnings of $25,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.22. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so how much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Fort Valley State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 41.1%. 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.