Harris-Stowe State University
Saint Louis, Missouri · Public
ROI Score: 5/100 · Poor Value
Harris-Stowe State University earns a CampusROI score of 5 -- one of the lowest in the dataset and squarely in Poor Value territory. The score reflects severe stress across every dimension. In-state tuition is just $7,008, but the net price of $9,922 actually exceeds tuition, signaling minimal grant aid and meaningful fees -- a red flag for an HBCU primarily serving low-income students. Median earnings six years after entry are $23,800, climbing only to $31,088 at ten years; the earnings premium subscore of 3 (raw -0.099) literally means Harris-Stowe graduates earn LESS than typical high school diploma holders. Median debt of $25,930 against $23,800 in early earnings produces a 1.089 debt-to-earnings ratio -- debt exceeds annual income. The payback period of 999 years signals that earnings never recoup the cost. Completion sits at just 27.6%, and three-year repayment is 50.7% (subscore 9). With 73.7% of students on Pell grants, Harris-Stowe serves an extraordinarily high-need population, and the institutional outcomes are failing them. The school is a designated HBCU in St. Louis with deep historical mission, but the financial data show clear systemic underperformance.
The data raises concerns about Harris-Stowe State University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score5/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.09 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate27.6% - 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.
Harris-Stowe State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,008/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $11,640/yr |
| Average net price | $9,922/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $39,688 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $31,088 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $23,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,930 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $275 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 27.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 960 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Harris-Stowe State University is $7,008/year ($11,640/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 $9,922/year, or roughly $39,688 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $9,827/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $6,238/year.
The median graduate leaves with $25,930 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $275 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $31,088 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.09 - 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 | $9,827 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,963 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $9,814 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $8,563 |
| $110,001+ | $6,238 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $9,827 per year -- about $39,308 over four years. Note the net-price-by-income brackets here show an unusual inversion: the highest income bracket ($110,001+) pays the LOWEST net price ($6,238), while middle-income families ($30,001-48,000) pay the most ($10,963). This pattern suggests inconsistent institutional aid allocation. With $23,800 in early-career earnings and 1.089 debt-to-earnings, low-income students face a math problem the school cannot solve through tuition alone.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-75,000) pay $9,814 per year, totaling about $39,256 over four years. The bracket inversion noted above means middle earners actually pay more than high-income families at Harris-Stowe. With $31,088 in ten-year median earnings, this group sees no defensible ROI from the four-year program -- the earnings premium is negative against high-school-graduate baselines.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $6,238 per year -- the lowest of any bracket. This is an unusual pattern that may reflect merit-aid stacking that disproportionately benefits higher-income students, or simply data thinness in the high-income bracket. Even at this discounted rate, with median earnings of $31,088 at ten years, the ROI math does not work versus University of Missouri-St. Louis or other regional alternatives.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at Harris-Stowe State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | $48,694 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $31,146 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $49,010 | D |
| Education, General | $40,247 | F |
| Accounting | $50,792 | F |
| Sociology | $28,268 | D |
| Marketing | $53,868 | - |
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 Harris-Stowe's largest program (59 graduates per year), but the financial outcomes are weak. Year-one earnings of $31,993 climbing to $48,694 at year four show typical bio-major trajectories, but median debt of $31,600 produces a 0.988 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. Most bio graduates need graduate-school continuation to reach competitive wages; the early-career data reflects those still in school or in entry-level lab/healthcare-support roles.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business produces 31 graduates per year with year-one earnings of $31,146 against median debt of $33,954 -- a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.09 and an F ROI grade. Four-year earnings aren't reported, but the early-career picture is stark: business graduates here are taking on more debt than they earn in year one, which produces structural repayment stress that the school's 50.7% three-year repayment rate confirms.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates 29 students per year with year-one earnings of $34,108 -- the strongest entry-level wage in the program data -- climbing to $49,010 at year four. Median debt of $32,000 yields a 0.938 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. Career paths into St. Louis-area police, corrections, and federal security roles offer stable wages, making this one of the few defensible majors at Harris-Stowe.
Education, General
Education produces 16 graduates per year with year-one earnings of $28,500 and four-year earnings of $40,247. Median debt of $35,478 generates a 1.245 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. Missouri starting teacher salaries simply cannot service this debt load -- this is the clearest example of how Harris-Stowe's net-price-exceeds-tuition dynamic harms students in mission-aligned but low-wage fields.
Accounting
Accounting graduates 12 students per year with year-one earnings of $33,025 climbing to $50,792 at year four. Median debt of $35,584 produces a 1.077 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. Accounting at Harris-Stowe is one of the rare majors where four-year earnings ($50K+) suggest the field's wage potential is reaching graduates; the F grade reflects the heavy debt load rather than weak career outcomes.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 39.9% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 50.7% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 25.9% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 26.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 960 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 73.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,463 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, and SAT/ACT mid-ranges are also unreported. Harris-Stowe is an open-access HBCU, which means effectively any applicant with a high school diploma is admitted. The 27.6% completion rate combined with open-access admission means the school is enrolling many students for whom four-year completion is unlikely without significantly stronger institutional support than the current outcomes suggest is in place.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Harris-Stowe's peer set includes University of Central Missouri, Lincoln University-MO, Southern University at New Orleans, Mississippi Valley State University, and Kentucky State University -- mostly small public HBCUs and regional universities serving high-Pell populations. Within this cohort, University of Central Missouri tends to perform substantially better (typically 50+ ROI score) due to broader program mix and higher completion. Harris-Stowe, SUNO, MVSU, and Kentucky State all sit in single-digit-to-low-teens ROI territory -- a consistent pattern indicating that small open-access HBCUs face structural challenges in producing strong wage outcomes.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris-Stowe State University (this school) | 5 | $9,922 | $31,088 |
| Bennett College | 6 | $28,299 | $36,654 |
| Alabama State University | 5 | $20,435 | $34,502 |
| Mississippi Valley State University | 5 | $9,686 | $31,919 |
| Langston University | 5 | $11,504 | $33,261 |
| Wiley University | 5 | $7,092 | $33,159 |
Who Thrives Here
Harris-Stowe primarily serves Black students from the St. Louis metropolitan area, with 960 total students and a 73.7% Pell rate -- one of the highest in the dataset. The historical-mission importance for African-American students in Missouri is significant, but the financial outcomes are alarming. Strong-fit students are those with deep ties to St. Louis and the HBCU community who can self-finance most of the cost or who target the specific programs (criminal justice, biology, business) where wage outcomes are at least workable. For most applicants, the open-access admission combined with 27.6% completion is a structural warning.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Harris-Stowe State University. With a net cost of $9,922 per year and median graduate earnings of only $31,088 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 27.6% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,930 against $31,088 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83 exceeds the commonly recommended threshold. Major choice is critical here.
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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.