Lincoln University
Lincoln University, Pennsylvania · Public · 65.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 18/100 · Poor Value
Lincoln University in rural Chester County, Pennsylvania -- the nation's first degree-granting HBCU -- scores 18 out of 100 in the Poor Value tier. The cost-side numbers are modest by public-university standards: in-state tuition $12,512, out-of-state $19,384, net price $14,977, and a four-year total of $59,908. The problem is the outcomes side. Median earnings are just $26,900 six years after enrollment and only $43,167 by year ten. Combined with $28,250 of median debt, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.05 -- borrowers owe more than a year of pre-tax income. The 24.5-year payback period and a brutal 43.5% three-year repayment rate (only 43% of borrowers had paid down any principal) suggest most graduates are in income-driven repayment or struggling. Completion at 43.6% is the structural problem: more than half of starters never earn the degree. The 68.7% Pell rate signals a student body that arrives with significant financial and academic challenges. Lincoln has enormous historical and cultural significance -- it produced Thurgood Marshall and Langston Hughes -- and that mission matters. But on cost-per-outcome math, the data is dire and prospective students should look hard at Pennsylvania's PASSHE alternatives or other Pennsylvania HBCU options.
The data raises concerns about Lincoln University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score18/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.05 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- Payback period24.5 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Lincoln University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $12,512/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $19,384/yr |
| Average net price | $14,977/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $59,908 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $43,167 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $28,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $299 |
| Estimated payback period | 24.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 43.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,539 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Lincoln University is $12,512/year ($19,384/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 $14,977/year, or roughly $59,908 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $14,011/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $21,303/year.
The median graduate leaves with $28,250 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $299 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $43,167 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.05 - 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 | $14,011 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $13,000 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,641 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,881 |
| $110,001+ | $21,303 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $14,011 net per year. With Pell ($7,395 max) and Pennsylvania PHEAA grants stacked, the actual out-of-pocket is meaningfully lower for most low-income students -- but with a 43.6% completion rate and 35% three-year repayment, the modal outcome is borrowed money and no degree. Low-income Pennsylvania students would likely be better served at a PASSHE school like West Chester or Millersville where completion rates are 50%+ higher.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Slightly inverted: $30,001-$48,000 families pay $13,000 (the lowest), then $48,001-$75,000 pays $15,641, $75,001-$110,000 jumps to $19,881. The inversion is small enough to attribute to small-sample noise. Middle-income families at $52K-$80K over four years are paying public-university money for outcomes that fall well below most public-university benchmarks.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001+ pay $21,303 -- which exceeds the listed $19,384 out-of-state tuition. The discrepancy reflects room/board fees not in the tuition figure. At $85K over four years, high-income families paying full freight for $26,900 six-year median earnings have made a poor financial bet. Penn State, Pitt, or Temple deliver dramatically better outcomes at similar in-state cost.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Lincoln University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Human Services, General | $50,390 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $54,632 | F |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $51,056 | F |
| Registered Nursing | $74,652 | C+ |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $36,544 | F |
| Biology | $55,431 | C+ |
| Psychology | $33,699 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $48,706 | F |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $49,412 | D |
| English Language and Literature | $49,159 | - |
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 far and away Lincoln's standout program: 27 graduates with $68,662 first-year and $74,652 four-year earnings against $31,000 median debt -- a 0.451 ratio and C+ grade (the school's best). The Philadelphia and Wilmington healthcare labor markets absorb BSN graduates with strong starting pay. The high debt is offset by high earnings; this is the one Lincoln program where the cost-outcome math works decisively. Students focused on a nursing career can attend Lincoln and get a respectable ROI.
Biology
Biology shows $55,431 four-year earnings (first-year not reported) against $25,219 median debt -- a 0.455 ratio and C+ grade with 19 graduates. The relatively low debt is a positive; the four-year earnings figure suggests graduates progress into healthcare-adjacent or laboratory roles. Biology at Lincoln makes sense as a pre-nursing or pre-health-professions pipeline; as a terminal bachelor's, the standard low-pay outcomes for biology majors apply.
Human Services, General
Human Services is Lincoln's largest program (50 graduates) and a financial disaster: $34,374 first-year and $50,390 four-year earnings against $37,500 median debt -- a 1.091 ratio and F grade. The high debt for a public-school program is unusual and concerning. Career paths feed into social services, case management, and nonprofit work where pay ceilings are low. Students entering this program need to plan for graduate school and licensure to make the math work.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice (39 graduates) shows $28,847 first-year and $54,632 four-year earnings against $35,000 median debt -- a 1.213 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade. The four-year earnings ramp is decent but the debt load is exceptional for a public school. Career paths into Pennsylvania state corrections, federal law enforcement, and local police pay reasonably well after promotion, but the entry-level pay and debt mismatch is severe.
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
Allied Health graduates 36 students with $32,664 first-year and $51,056 four-year earnings against a striking $34,375 median debt -- a 1.052 ratio and F grade. The high debt for a public school suggests students take on substantial loans beyond tuition for living expenses. Allied health pathways depend heavily on follow-on credentials (nursing, PT, RT certifications); the bachelor's alone delivers weak ROI.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 31.7% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 43.5% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 36.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 40.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 65.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 400-460 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 420-500 |
| Enrollment | 1,539 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 68.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,580 |
Lincoln admits 65.7% of applicants. SAT mid-50% bands run Math 400-460 and Reading 420-500 -- among the lowest reported in the Pennsylvania public system, and consistent with serving students who arrive academically under-prepared by traditional measures. ACT data is not reported. The low test profile correlates directly with the 43.6% completion rate; the school accepts students whose preparation predicts difficulty completing, and the support infrastructure to bridge that gap appears insufficient.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Among peers, Lincoln tracks closely with Cheyney University -- another Pennsylvania HBCU with similarly weak outcomes. Both face the same structural challenge: a state system that under-funds them relative to their student needs. East Stroudsburg University posts materially better outcomes as a more conventional PASSHE school. Western New Mexico, Shawnee State, and Henderson State (Arkansas) are similar low-resource regional publics with comparable struggles. Within the Pennsylvania public system, Lincoln and Cheyney are the bottom two on ROI; PASSHE peers like Bloomsburg, West Chester, and Millersville generally deliver materially better student outcomes.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln University (this school) | 18 | $14,977 | $43,167 |
| Norfolk State University | 20 | $15,282 | $44,666 |
| Fayetteville State University | 19 | $7,892 | $40,144 |
| North Carolina Central University | 17 | $15,359 | $42,968 |
| West Virginia State University | 17 | $11,139 | $40,492 |
| Southern University and A & M College | 16 | $20,077 | $43,371 |
Who Thrives Here
Lincoln fits Pennsylvania students who specifically want the HBCU experience and the school's unique heritage as the nation's oldest HBCU. Enrollment of 1,539 with a 68.7% Pell rate paints a picture of a heavily working-class, predominantly Black student body. Outcomes look strongest for nursing graduates ($68K first-year earnings is genuinely strong) and acceptable for biology pre-health pathways. Beyond those two programs, the data is grim. Students considering Lincoln for the cultural experience should be specific about their intended major -- nursing or biology pencil out, while criminal justice, communications, business, and human services do not.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Lincoln University. With a net cost of $14,977 per year and median graduate earnings of only $43,167 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 24.5 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 43.5% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $28,250 against $43,167 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.