Johnson C Smith University
Charlotte, North Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 45.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 13/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Johnson C. Smith University scores 13 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. The data presents a difficult picture: a 29.1-year payback period, 34.3% completion rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.145, and a 31.9% loan repayment rate at year three. Average 6-year earnings are $26,200 against a net price of $20,894. Fewer than one in three students completes a degree, and fewer than one in three who borrow on repayment tracks is making progress on their debt three years after enrollment. JCSU is a historically Black university (HBCU) in Charlotte, North Carolina, founded in 1867. The institution serves a predominantly lower-income student body - 69.5% Pell grant rate. Business Administration is the strongest tracked program (37 graduates, D grade, $51,371 four-year). Political Science (17 graduates, D grade), Biology (24 graduates, D grade), and Communication (12 graduates, F grade) round out the program data. No program earns better than a D grade. The Charlotte location provides proximity to a major financial services and healthcare hub, which should theoretically benefit graduates - but the completion and earnings data suggest structural challenges that location alone cannot resolve.
How Johnson C Smith 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 Score13/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.15 - Median debt is larger than one year of average earnings six years after entry (a ratio above 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate34.3% - 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 period29.1 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Johnson C Smith University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $21,300/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $21,300/yr |
| Average net price | $20,894/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $83,576 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,680 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $30,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $318 |
| Estimated payback period | 29.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 34.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,244 |
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: $21,300/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $20,894/year, or roughly $83,576 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 $19,940/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $29,050/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $30,000, which works out to about $318 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($26,200) and comes to 1.15, 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 | $19,940 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $21,165 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $21,005 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,722 |
| $110,001+ | $29,050 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Total 4-year cost near $80,000 for the lowest-income bracket - largely financed through federal loans given the limited family resources - against $26,200 average 6-year earnings creates a debt situation that is difficult to recover from, especially given the 34.3% completion rate. Low-income students who do not complete are at the greatest financial risk.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families pay approximately $21,005 (48001-75000) and $19,722 (75001-110000) per year. The slight decrease from the lower bracket to the upper-middle bracket is unusual. Total 4-year costs around $79,000-$84,000 are high relative to outcomes. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.145 at the institutional level means the median graduate owes more than a year's earnings in student debt.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $29,050 per year - the highest net price, with relatively limited merit or need-based offset. Total 4-year cost near $116,000 for higher-income families produces a very difficult ROI case against $26,200 average earnings and a 29.1-year payback period.
Earnings by Major
Top 7 most popular majors at Johnson C Smith University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $51,371 | D |
| Biology | $42,595 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $44,678 | F |
| Political Science and Government | $46,215 | D |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $38,941 | F |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $29,621 | F |
| Communication and Media Studies | $40,600 | F |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
37 graduates, $37,906 year-one, $51,371 year-four, ROI grade D with debt-to-earnings 0.977 and median debt $37,038. Business is the strongest-volume program at JCSU but still earns only a D grade. Median debt of $37,038 against year-one earnings of $37,906 means graduates owe nearly a full year's pre-tax income on day one. The four-year trajectory to $51k shows modest growth. Charlotte's financial services sector provides employment context, but the debt burden limits financial optionality for completers.
Political Science and Government
17 graduates, $32,751 year-one, $46,215 year-four, ROI grade D with debt-to-earnings 0.979 and median debt $32,047. Political science at JCSU earns a D grade driven by near-100% debt-to-income at graduation. Year-four earnings of $46k show modest progression. Charlotte provides access to government, advocacy, and policy employment that benefits political science graduates, but debt levels constrain financial flexibility in early careers. Students considering this program should evaluate public service loan forgiveness eligibility.
Biology
24 graduates, $28,675 year-one, $42,595 year-four, ROI grade D with debt-to-earnings 0.981 and median debt $28,123. Biology at JCSU earns a D grade with year-one earnings of $28,675. The low year-one figure likely reflects a high proportion of students entering graduate or professional school rather than direct employment, which suppresses Scorecard near-term earnings. Four-year earnings of $42k suggest modest career entry for those who do not pursue advanced degrees.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 23.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 31.9% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 28.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 31.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Johnson C Smith 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 | 45.2% |
| Enrollment | 1,244 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 69.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,806 |
JCSU's 45.2% admission rate is more selective than its outcome metrics might suggest - the institution is not open enrollment. Despite relative selectivity, the 34.3% completion rate indicates that admitted students face significant barriers to graduation. Financial pressure on the high-Pell population, academic preparation challenges, and retention programming quality are the likely drivers. Prospective students should ask directly about financial sustainability through a 4-year degree and what completion-support resources the institution provides.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
JCSU's differentiating value is its HBCU identity and the professional network and cultural community it provides to Black students, which are not captured in Scorecard financial metrics.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson C Smith University (this school) | 13 | $20,894 | $42,680 |
| Albany State University | 14 | $11,898 | $40,674 |
| Clark Atlanta University | 14 | $37,702 | $42,712 |
| Jackson State University | 14 | $23,836 | $39,060 |
| Fisk University | 14 | $32,020 | $45,454 |
| Grambling State University | 12 | $19,809 | $41,109 |
Who Thrives Here
JCSU admits 45.2% of applicants. No test score data is reported. Enrollment is 1,244. The 69.5% Pell grant rate indicates the large majority of students are lower-income - a population that faces disproportionate completion risk when earnings outcomes are weak. JCSU's HBCU identity provides cultural community, mentorship, and professional network benefits for Black students that Scorecard financial metrics do not capture. Students who value HBCU experience and have access to employer-specific HBCU pipelines in financial services may achieve outcomes above the aggregate. But the financial risk profile here requires honest assessment.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Johnson C Smith University scores 13/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $20,894 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $42,680 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 29.1 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 34.3% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.15 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 31.9% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $30,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $26,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.15. 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.
Johnson C Smith University: Common Questions
Is Johnson C Smith University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Johnson C Smith University scores 13/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $20,894 a year after aid against $42,680 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 29.1 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Johnson C Smith 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 $20,894 a year, or roughly $83,576 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 Johnson C Smith University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $42,680 ten years after enrolling, roughly $880 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 Johnson C Smith 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 29.1 years for Johnson C Smith University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Johnson C Smith University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $30,000, against average earnings of $26,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.15. 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 Johnson C Smith University?
The six-year graduation rate is 34.3%. 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.